Lavender
by zenhir
Summary: Sakura and Syaoran shared an affectionate childhood. When he left for Hong Kong, he gave her a dried lavender flower. 12 years later, a popular singer named Xiao Lang tours Japan. If he is Syaoran, have his feelings changed at all?
1. Lavender Vial

** AN:** _As some of you may realize after reading this. It's based on I think Tawainese Drama Series "Lavender"_

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own CCS. Happy Now? Lol. I don't own the story either actually. But I do own my own ideas that I add on to the story._

**Summary: **_8yr-old Sakura felt that Syaoran was the only one who was there for her. When Syaoran left for Hong Kong, he left behind a small vial with a dried lavender flower. 12years later, a famous musician XiaoLang has come to tour Japan. If he is Sakura's old Syaoran, has he changed?_

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**Lavender I  
Prologue**

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"OH! XIAOLANG!! Can I have you're autograph!"

Syaoran looked at the two girls standing next to the door, he unwillingly took their cds and signed 'Xiaolang' on to one.

He was about to sign the other, when the quieter girl stopped him.

"Can you sign in your Japanese name?"

_My Japanese name. _

Syaoran took the cd and wrote "Li Syaoran"

After the squealing girls left, Syaoran stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned against a wall. Staying inside would help him avoid more fans, for now. And it'll let him have some time…to think…

I haven't used my Japanese name since…

* * *

"Give this to Syaoran."

Eight-year-old Sakura looked at the pink envelope in her hands, "Why?"

"Don't ask questions! Just give it to him!" Meiling said, scowling.

"Why do I have to give it to him?"

"You hang around him more, now stop being stupid." Meiling turned on her heels and left, followed by her gang of girls.

After school, Syaoran and Sakura were walking home.

Sakura kept lagging behind, her head down. She touched the envelope and wondered if she should be doing what Meiling said.

"What's wrong with you today?" Syaoran prodded, stopping and turning to face Sakura.

Sakura looked away and shoved the envelope at him, "From Meiling, she told me to give it to you."

Syaoran didn't even look at it, instead he crumpled the envelope in to a ball, and let it drop to the floor.

Sakura's eyes grew wide, "You don't want to read it?"

"Why should I, I don't like her – you shouldn't be helping them." Syaoran said, and started walking again.

Sakura stared at the envelope on the floor and back at Syaoran, "Than who do you like?"

Syaoran stopped walking, he stared at Sakura from across his shoulder, "I – why should I tell you!"

He wheeled his bicycle away humming a tune; Sakura smiled and ran to catch up with him.

"What are you singing?" She asked.

"I don't know, something I made up," Syaoran continued singing, Sakura forgot about everything concerning Meiling. Syaoran could always make her smile.

* * *

The next day, Meiling and her friends cornered Sakura in the bathroom.

"You didn't give it to him!" Meiling cried. Sakura backed up in the stall and furiously shook her head.

"I did! I really did!"

"Liar! See for yourself!" She threw the envelope at Sakura's feet. It was still crumpled in to a ball, and now it looked as if it had been stepped on.

Meiling was red, "You like Syaoran yourself, that's why you didn't give it to him."

Her friend aimed a hose at her, "This is a warning, stay away from Syaoran!"

"No! I don't! I gave it to him! He didn't want to read it! I don't! I don't!" Sakura screamed, the hose drenched her school dress, and it was freezing cold.

"Hmph, bitch." Meiling shouted, as she left Sakura in the stall, with tears in her eyes. Her hair was wet and her clothes clung to her skin.

_I don't. _Sakura cried, her head in her hands. _I don't like Syaoran._

_

* * *

_

"Sakura, class started fifteen minutes ago, where were you?" The teacher asked, "And why are you all wet?"

Sakura didn't say anything.

Syaoran frowned. _Why was she all wet. _

The teacher sighed after she didn't answer her questions and gestured at her seat, "Go sit down, we're talking about the coming track meet."

Sakura, with her head down, made her way to her seat. Meiling was eyeing her dangerously, and Sakura looked away.

_What's going on._ Syaoran thought.

"Okay, do we have any nominations for the relay race?" The teacher was saying.

Meiling raised her hand, "Kinomoto." She said with a smile.

The teacher's eyes raced, "Any objections?"

Syaoran's hand shot up, "Sakura cannot compete in the race!"

"Why not?!" Meiling protested, "This is a major event, how come she's not allowed to participate?!"

Syaoran scowled, but he said nothing.

The teacher nodded, and looked at Sakura, "Sakura…you're father has already excused you from any physical activities…what do you think?"

Sakura turned to meet Syaoran's eyes. He was furiously shaking his head at her. _No! _

Sakura turned around to look at the teacher, "I'll do it."

"Okay, but only if you get permission from your father, only than will I let you go."

Sakura nodded. Syaoran had his eyes closed. _She can't do this! _

"Okay, now who else wants to nominate someone for the relay race?"

* * *

"Syaoran!" Sakura called, gasping for air, trying to catch up with the boy, "Syaoran wait up!"

Syaoran turned to look at Sakura, let out a frustrated sigh, and started walking again.

"Syaoran!" Sakura called again, grabbing his arm, "Are you mad?"

"No." He said, walking on. Sakura grabbed his arm again, breathing heavily.

Syaoran wrenched her hand aside and stopped to face her, "Look at you! Just a little run, and you're already out of breath!"

Sakura's eyes froze, "I'm not going to let Meiling have her way around me! I can prove to her that I'm not that weak!"

Syaoran frowned, and grabbed Sakura by the shoulders, "Have they been hurting you?"

"No." Sakura replied hastily. Syaoran saw through the lie immediately.

"I don't get it, why do you always pick on you?!" He said, frustrated.

Sakura looked down at the ground and kept her mouth shut.

Syaoran let go of her and started walking again, "Alright fine, if you're going to run, I might as well give you some pointers about passing the baton, and everything."

Sakura brightened, "Really!?"

Syaoran looked at her over his shoulder, Sakura caught up to him, he was humming a tune again. A different one. Sakura couldn't help but laugh, forgetting everything.

* * *

Syaoran was humming again, his back leaned against his bike, hands shoved in his pockets.

Sakura brightened once she saw him and ran up to him, "Were you waiting for me?" She asked, breathing hard.

"New shoes?" Syaoran asked, looking down. Sakura smiled.

"I pooled my savings, after – " _After dad told me not to participate in the race. _Sakura stopped shortly.

"Than you'll probably run faster." Syaoran commented, and took Sakura's hands, "C'mon."

* * *

Meiling and her gang watched as Sakura and Syaoran came in to the class, laughing. Syaoran was still giving Sakura pointers. Meiling felt herself go cold.

* * *

During PE, Sakura was to participate in her first lesson. She would usually sit out. Her father insisted that Sakura would not run. She had a fatal heart disease. Sakura went to get her new shoes. Her hand swept through her cubby hole but she felt nothing.What? 

Sakura desperately looked up and down around the small cupboard. Nothing.

She had no choice but to go to PE class bare footed.

Everyone laughed at her, Meiling was laughing the hardest. The Coach looked disappointed and told Sakura to just watch this time.

During the whole period Sakura kept looking down at the ground, trying to hide her tears. She had lost her new shoes.

Meiling clenched her fists as she watched Syaoran stare at her with a worried look.

* * *

"My shoes!" Sakura exclaimed, she rushed for the trashbin and pulled out two muddy and grass stained white shoes that were laying on top of the trash.

"Those ugly things?" Meiling cried from behind, she shoved Sakura in to the bags of trash, Sakura fell over, near tears.

"You're going to race in those, how disgusting." Meiling howled, and walked off. Sakura got shakily back on her feet and hugged her shoes. She promised that she would clean them, when her father wasn't looking. And accomplish the race. Against her father's wishes. To just prove to Meiling, that she wasn't weak.

Sakura smiled, she would.

All she needed was to finish the race.

* * *

The day of the race came sooner than Sakura expected. In no time, she and Syaoran were in their track uniforms. She was a 503 and Syaoran was 504. He was giving her pointers.

"You've got to breathe deeply, don't panic." He was advising. Sakura nodded, shaking, nervous.

"Don't panic." He shouted, noticing her distress. Sakura gave a meek smile. He returned a smile of his own. Meiling scowled in the stands.

"Okay! Take you're places around the track!"

Sakura and Syaoran walked to their marks. Sakura would be receiving the third pass. She would be passing to Syaoran who had the last sprint to the finish line.

"On you're marks! Get set! GO!" The pistol rang, and the first runners burst from their spots, swinging the baton back and forth as they went.

Sakura took a deep breath, like Syaoran had said.

_I can do this. _

The baton was passed. Sakura closed her eyes, waiting and calming herself. Calming her already rapidly beating heart.

The boy was charging nearer. And nearer. Closer. Sakura remembered what Syaoran had taught her.

_Move forward a little, get ready to run, and take the baton with one hand to the back. _

Sakura did just that, and started moving forward.

The runner was ten feet away.

Seven feet.

Six feet.

Five feet.

Sakura took a deep breath. Calm. Relax. Don't panic.

Three feet.

Two feet.

The boy stretched his hand for Sakura, Sakura grabbed the baton. Glad that the piece of metal was secure in her grasp. She was well ahead of everyone else. Their team was faster.

Sakura ran.

Her heart was pumping now. Beating. She was kicking up dust.

"Go! Go! Go!" The stands were roaring. Sakura felt her heart racing now. Out of control She could see Syaoran racing closer. The other runners were catching up.

She was falling back. Syaoran had a look of concern and encouragement on his face. Sakura used it to keep going. She had to keep going. Finish the race. She ran.

Her heart was everywhere. She felt pain. As if a knife was being drawn in between her lungs. But she kept running, ignoring the piercing white-hot pain that was shooting in her chest.

She wasn't calm. Her mind was racing. Her breathing was out of control. Her legs were stiff. Syaoran's hand was just feets away.

"Sakura!" Syaoran desperately called.

With the last bit of endurance she had she leapt forward, and Syaoran nearly had to catch the baton as it soared through the air. Sakura was falling.

Syaoran burst forward, just as Sakura hit the floor.

Her heart was pulsing. Rapidly faster. Everywhere. Panicking. Sakura felt her mind blackening. She couldn't see. All she felt was pain shooting around in her head. Her heart. Her body. Her legs. Pain.

Syaoran looked back, and saw that Sakura was in danger. She couldn't get herself up from the floor, and seemed to be losing consciousness. And nobody had noticed. Nobody had helped her up. Nobody was calling the ambulance. Sakura was…Sakura…was…

Syaoran stopped running, and began springing with all his energy back to Sakura. The crowds roared. Syaoran was running back. He forgot all about the race. Sakura was more important than any stupid race, or winning it. He ran back. Ignoring everything. He had to run back.

"Sakura!" He grabbed the girl, and flipped her over. She wasn't breathing, "Sakura! Sakura!!!"

He was screaming now, "SOMEONE CALL THE AMBULANCE!!! SOMEONE CALL 911!!! SAKURA!!!"

Syaoran was crying, he held the girl against his chest, she had gone cold.

He heard sirens wailing in the background.

* * *

"She's going to be okay." Touya was saying.

Syaoran nodded. He was still in his track uniform. And he and Touya had been waiting outside the emergency room for hours. Touya had just received word from the doctor that had been operating on her.

"It's all my fault, I should've told her not to – her heart – the race – I should've – she – I could've – this should never have happened – this – " Syaoran cried. Touya cut him off.

"It's not you're fault. She." He broke off, "She wanted to do this…"

Months after the incident, Sakura was back in school. Prohibited to ever run again. In her life. Or it might end up causing her life. The doctor had said that she had been incredibly lucky, that she had not died this time. It had been a miracle that she had arrived just second in time.

* * *

But Sakura was to forever sit out in PE.

Sakura sat alone, watching the other nine-year-olds play basketball. She always sat alone. No one understood her. Except Syaoran. Who was still faithful even though he knew that she had a heart problem.

The ball bounced out of court. Sakura caught it.

"O'er here!" Syaoran called from inside the court. Sakura smiled and walked up to her classmates.

"Give us the ball!" One boy cried. Sakura stopped smiling.

"Can I play…with you guys?" The green-eyed girl asked.

The boy scowled, "No! You might accidentally die or something, like last time." The kids laughed, "You won't last two seconds playing with us!"

The boy took the ball away from Sakura and left. Sakura felt like crying again and went back to her spot, alone. She picked a flower in the nearby bush and stared at it, it was alone in the bush like her. She felt tears streaming down her face.

Syaoran noticed this, and passed the ball in his hands to another player, "I'm quitting."

"But you're the best we have!" The kids protested. Syaoran ignored them, and walked up to Sakura, he sat down.

Sakura looked up, she had been crying, "Why aren't you playing with them?"

"Nah. I don't want to play." Syaoran said, with a care-free look.

"You don't like playing?" Sakura sniffed, and wiped the tears with her sleeves.

"I just don't want to play right now." Syaoran commented, and looked at the flower in her hands, "That's a Lavender."

Sakura looked down at the purple flower, "This? How do you know?"

"My family owns a big greenhouse, a lavender is my favorite flower." Syaoran smiled, "Smell it."

"What?" Sakura said, looking skeptical at the flower.

"Just smell it. Go on." Syaoran gestured at it. Sakura unwillingly pressed the flower against her nose. Syaoran suddenly pushed the flower in to her face, causing Sakura to scream loudly.

"Syaoran Li!!!" She cried, and proceeded to chase him around playfully around the bush. Syaoran laughed loudly.

The boy that had laughed at Sakura before noticed them. He was struck with an idea.

* * *

Sakura went inside the classroom to find a crowd gathered around the whiteboard, pointing, and laughing.

"What are you guys doing?" She asked, trying to sound cheerful.

The crowd took one look at her, began howling, and parted for her to see. The boy that had made fun of her was in the middle, pointing at the board and chanting.

"Syaoran is in love with Saakura!" He shouted. The whiteboard had a heart, with Syaoran and Sakura's name inside. The class giggled madly.

Sakura felt herself turn red, "No! He doesn't!" She went forward and grabbed an eraser, "Take it off!!! Stop it!!"

"Syaoran is in love with Sakura! Syaoran is in love with Sakura!"

Even Meiling joined in, feeling very sour over her victory in making Sakura look bad.

"Stop it!!!" Sakura cried, the boy blocked her way to the board. The chanting was getting louder.

Syaoran stepped in the room, "What's going on?!"

"SYAORAN LOVES SAKURA!!!" The boy suddenly cried, pointing. Syaoran turned red, and marched in front of the boy who jeered tauntingly, "FIRST COMES LOVE!!! THAN COMES KISSSING!!! EWWW!!!" He cried.

Syaoran grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her away from the crowd, "ERASE THAT!"

"NO! UNTIL YOU ADMIT THAT YOUR IN LOVE WITH SAKURA KINOMOTO!!!"

Syaoran snapped, he grabbed the boy with both hands and pushed him to the floor.

"Fight! Fight!!"

"No! Syaoran!" Sakura screamed, and tried to pull him off the boy.

"Fight Fight!!!!" The crowd cheered enthusiastically. The boys were punching each other now, rolling on the floor.

"Stop!!! Don't!!!! LI!!" Sakura was screaming.

* * *

Sakura sighed, and lifted the cotton ball in front Syaoran face, "This is going to hurt a little. You're going to have to bear the pain."

She was treating the many bruises and cuts on Syaoran. Just looking at it, she felt like crying again.

"Don't worry about it, it's nothing." He said, wincing slightly when she applied the medicine.

"What are _you _crying for? You're not the one hurt." Syaoran commented, noticing Sakura tearing up, again.

She hastily wiped the tears away and took a bandage, "It was all my fault, I couldn't get them to stop."

"It is not you're fault, I got in to it on my own." Syaoran protested, fidgeting as Sakura wrapped his leg with the bandage.

"You're actually bleeding, when I fell down on the track, I wasn't bleeding," Sakura said, wiping more tears.

Syaoran rolled his eyes, than exchanged looks with Sakura, "You've got to take care of yourself…you can't keep crying like this…you're acting like…a crybaby."

"Huh?" Sakura wiped the tears away, staring at the auburn-eyed boy.

"I'm…I…just meet me after school. I want to show you something, okay?" Syaoran insisted, standing up.

Sakura looked puzzled but nodded anyways, "Okay."

* * *

Sakura looked at the bike, and looked back at Syaoran, "No, it's scary."

"Just trust me with this Sakura! It'll feel just like running! C'mon, have I ever lied to you before?"

Sakura thought about the lavender flower but shrugged it off, "Okay, but don't fall…"

"I won't, it's easy, just get on, and hold on tight" Syaoran mounted his bike and waited for Sakura to get on to the back. She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Ready?"

Sakura nodded.

Syaoran pushed off, and after a couple wobbly turns, they were speeding along smoothly.

"See?! Doesn't it feel like running!" Syaoran shouted over his shoulder. Sakura grabbed on tighter, as they went over a couple ditches, but it felt wonderful. She thought she would never feel the wind rushing in her light brown hair.

"It's perfect, just like running!" She shouted back, laughing.

Syaoran smiled, and rode on.

"Where are we going?" Sakura asked the boy in front.

"Just wait, you'll see."

After a few moments of riding, Syaoran stopped and helped Sakura off the bike. They were in front of a huge greenhouse. Sakura gasped.

"Is this yours?"

"My family's." Syaoran replied shortly, and walked to the large sliding doors. He grabbed both sides and pushed. The doors opened with a large screeching sound, but the inside was a wonder. There were so many different plants. Crawling around the walls. Varieties of different color flowers. Beautiful petals. All blossoming.

Sakura felt herself go dizzy at all the plants growing in such a nursery, "It's beautiful."

"You like it?" Syaoran said, smiling, "C'mon, there's more I want to show you." He grabbed her hand, and started running forward. Through the rows and rows of plants. Sakura couldn't take the time to look at them all.

They went out through a backdoor. There were no more houses. Instead, there was a beautiful clear lake, and an enormous plain that stretched on for what seemed like forever. The sky was bright blue. And there was only a gentle breeze.

"What is this place?" Sakura asked in awe, after they stopped.

"My quiet place, I like to go here, to think." Syaoran said, and sat promptly down on the dirt. Sakura sat down next to him.

Sakura looked at him funny, "You're acting different."

"Am I?" Syaoran asked.

The two stayed in silence for the longest time. Sakura than noticed they were surrounded everywhere by purple flowers. _Lavenders. _They were beautiful. Sakura sighed.

"Hey…Sakura." Syaoran finally spoke. Sakura looked at him and he paused.

"Hm?"

"I'm…going away." He said finally, "To HongKong"

Sakura was lost for words. He was moving away?!

"I don't know how long I'm staying…" He said, Sakura could only nod. She couldn't say anything. For fear she might start crying again. And she didn't want him to think she was a crybaby.

"I want you to have this." The two finally looked at each other, and he shoved a vial in to her hands. She peered inside the glass sides. It was corked shut. There was a dried lavender inside.

Syaoran held up another vial in his hands, "Keep yours, so I'll always be with you, no matter what."

Sakura smiled, choking back tears, "Will you…will you come back to…visit?"

"Maybe. On your twentieth birthday, I'll come back." Than he smiled, "For you, I promise I'll come back."

Sakura stared at the vial in her hands.

"Syaoran?" She said after another long period of silence.

"Yeah?"

Another pause. Sakura felt the breeze run through her hair, and the plain looked like waves in an ocean. All the lavender flowers were bending over and moving like water.

"Who do you like?" She said.

Syaoran looked at the scene in front of him, "The person I like…she's really pretty and shy."

Sakura looked down at her hands, wondering whom he was talking about.

But he went on, "She's not exactly healthy or perfect, and people like to pick on her a lot, but I think she's the one for me." He was smiling now.

Sakura was smiling too. She would never forget that smile. His face. His laugh.

And it was after he left to HongKong. When she learned that the flower Lavender. The flower that was sitting in the vial on her table.

Represented love.

_But did he know that?_

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**AN: **_I hope I didn't rush too much but I just wanted to get through the prologue a little quicker, straight to the point. Which really takes place 12 years later. I tried to make them sound childish. After all. They are eight._

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	2. Xiao Lang

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**AN: I really appreciate all the reviews, and I apologize for the long update, however, the point is, I was trying to make this the longest update in all my stories. I took my time yesterday night to organize the story of Lavender in to sections. And I wanted this story to have long chapters that have major turning points. This took me of course...forever to write. But I managed. And I'm well on my way in to the third chapter. I hope you enjoy this. Please give me any advice. I'll really enjoy hearing from you guys. It's what keeps me encouraged to update every week. **

**AN Again: Sorry, but. If you want clarification, in case you think that the story is a bit confusing, cause I am very much aware that I'm 'moving very fast. So. Tomoyo, Chiharu, Eriol, and Sakura all work at Tomoeda Nursery Gardens. Plainly, they work in a big greenhouse, shipping and delivering houses for events and people. Sakura chose the job because. duh. it's close to the old greenhouse Syaoran took her too in the previous chapter. Touya is at his age, a legal gaurdian. In case you guys think their orphans or something. Hiroki, in the series, is quite gay. I didn't want to make him that happy...here...but the way he said everything. You get the impression that he's a very girly guy. So don't be offended. I thought he was pretty weird in the series too. It'll get better. The pairings are...let me clarify now. In case you think I'm pairing Eriol off with Sakura. But it is SS and ET. Okay?! Okay. Thank you to those who actually read this. I hope that answers some questions...now on with the show!  
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** Lavender II****  
Xiao Lang**

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**Twelve Years Later…**

Sakura had grown in to a fine young woman who worked in a flower nursery. She had new friends, new hobbies, and a new strong personality.

Her vibrant green eyes were just as young as ever. Her hair was never tied up like when she was eight.

Her brother worked as a doctor at a highly acknowledged hospital. Her father died five years ago to much of the grief of her brother and Sakura.

Her illness was still evident, she never ran too long, and never did anything too strenuous. Every morning, she had to take pills to suppress sudden outbreaks of the disease.

But she still held on to her childhood dreams.

The vial with the lavender stood on her table, along with an old photo of two little kids in track uniforms. Sakura would look at it everyday before bed.

It was only a week before her twentieth birthday.

Her dreams had never been so realistic.

* * *

"Hey! Tomoyo!" Sakura called, pedaling to meet her friend. The countryside weather was amazing. She felt a pang of loneliness ever time the wind blew through her hair, or she passed the meadows of lavender. 

"Sakura!" Tomoyo laughed, as she turned around, her light gray eyes lit up in the sunlight. She had instantly become Sakura's best friend. She was twenty-years-old, a year older than Sakura who would be turning twenty next week. The two worked together at Tomoeda Nursery Gardens and had developed a strong friendship.

"Oy! Sakura!" Someone else called. Sakura put her foot down, next to Tomoyo. The two turned their heads.

Eriol Hiirigazawa, a 21 year-old who ran the nursery that Sakura and Tomoyo worked at waved. He had dark blue hair and rarely frowned or got angry at Sakura or Tomoyo. He always rode his motorbike to work. This time he had an extra pink helmet nestled in his arms.

"How 'bout a ride? Sakura?" He asked, stopping next to the two girls, smiling behind his twinkling glasses.

Sakura smiled, "That's okay Eriol, I like riding this bike, it lets me feel like I'm running."

Eriol made a face, "If you feel like you're running on that, than you'll feel like you're flying in this."

He lifted the pink helmet and waved it in her face, "How bout it?"

"It's okay…why don't you ask Tomoyo?" Sakura suggested.

Tomoyo looked away.

Eriol's face fell, "Okay, if you really don't want to…I'll meet you two ladies later than. See ya Sakura."

He pushed off on his bike and revved away. Sakura watched him leave, still half on half off her bike.

"Oh Sakura, when will you stop daydreaming and live?" Tomoyo asked after Eriol disappeared over the hill.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, genuinely confused, turning to meet her friend.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tomoyo said with an exasperated sigh.

"No…what's obvious…"

Tomoyo laughed, walking a bit to keep up with Sakura as she pushed her bike along the road, "If you stop dreaming about that old childhood crush of yours, you'll see what's right in front of you."

"?" Sakura asked with a very funny look on her face.

Tomoyo grinned and shook her head, "You're so clueless."

* * *

"Alright, we've got an important delivery today." Eriol was saying, rolling out a piece of paper, and pointing at the map, "Right here…we're to decorate an entrance hall for an upcoming concert." 

"What kind of concert?!" Chiharu, who never really paid any attention to Eriol's lectures, suddenly jumped to meet him.

"Uhh…" Eriol looked at his computer scanning the details, "It doesn't say, some guy touring Japan, Xiao Lang."

Chiharu's eyes suddenly grew wide, "_THE_ Xiao Lang?!?!" She shrieked.

Eriol promptly fell off his chair at the sudden burst of noise.

At that time, Tomoyo and Sakura finally made it to work. Sakura was busy locking her old bike up, Tomoyo stepped inside the nursery, tying her hair bandana.

Chiharu pounced Tomoyo, dragging her over, jumping up and down, "Guess what!!"

"What?" Tomoyo asked, securing the knot to the bandana.

"I guess you guys heard about this guy? Xiao Lang?" Eriol said, getting to his feet.

Sakura secured the lock, and reached for her bandana. Hearing the unfamiliar name, she shook her head absentmindedly.

"HE'S COMING HERE!! TOMOYO!!!" Chiharu burst, shaking Tomoyo back and forth.

Tomoyo seemed to have snapped just like Chiharu had, "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

The two girls proceeded to jump around the room. Eriol had a funny expression on his face. Sakura tied her hair back and stepped inside the greenhouse, "Who?"

"Aw C'mon Sakura, let me show you." Tomoyo dragged Sakura over to her table. Tomoyo took out a magazine and pointed at the front page, "This guy! Don't you think he's cute?! I can't believe he's coming here!!!!"

Sakura stared at the photo. The man in the picture had his head looking down. He had dark brown hair and deep auburn eyes. Sakura narrowed her gaze, a sudden struck of familiarity seemed to jolt from deep inside.

"Isn't he hot?!" Chiharu prompted, nearly drooling over the magazine. Eriol had a skeptical look on his face but he stayed quiet. When girls were like this, it was dangerous to interfere.

"Um…" Sakura was uncertain how she felt. But her eyes stayed frozen at the man's face.

Tomoyo wasn't lost for word however and hurriedly cornered Eriol in his chair, "When's the delivery?!"

"…now?" Eriol stammered.

"Let Sakura go, she doesn't even know who Xiao Lang is. And it's her turn anyways." Chiharu shouted hysterically, shaking Sakura who would not stop staring at he magazine cover. The face. Where had she seen it?

Eriol seemed to look happier, "We need to load the truck, how bout it Sakura?"

"C'mon!" Chiharu squealed.

Sakura touched the magazine cover, "Okay, I'm coming."

* * *

"Move that a little more to the right! Yeah, that's good." A short man with black hair pursed his lips, than swept his gaze at the brown-haired boy sitting on the couch, "Xiao Lang, you need to unpack." 

The boy said nothing, deep in thought, adding new notes to his song, one hand on his guitar.

"Xiao." His manager called.

Xiao Lang waved his hand, showing that he didn't care.

The moving men dragged a large sofa in to the room.

"No! That goes here, can't you see, you're blocking the way – " His manager cried, and hustled the men to a corner, pointing at the floor. The two movers groaned but heaved the furniture towards him and finally set it down.

"Xiao, are you listening? You need to unpack."

"I'm busy." Was all he said, strumming the guitar strings, and than erased some of the notes on his paper.

"Okay,_ I'll_ unpack…" The man said, he swept his hand, ordering the movers to leave.

Hiroki was Xiao Lang's manager. An old friend from Hong Kong.

"So, Xiao, what do you think of this place I got for you? It was rather expensive, but if you're concert is successful than there's nothing money-wise we can worry about." He rambled, rummaging through the singer's suitcase.

Xiao Lang said nothing. Hiroki was used to being ignored by the self-reserved singer.

"What is this?" He asked, puzzled, lifting what looked like a small glass bottle from the suitcase, "I didn't know you were in to…flowers."

"Don't touch that." The boy said sharply, lifting his head.

Hiroki frowned, but dropped the vial on to the table. Xiao Lang said nothing, and continued to try notes on his guitar.

"Wow! Is this you're elementary school picture!!! Ack! You were so bad-looking!" The man cried, suddenly. Grabbing the frame, he made a move to throw it in to the trash, "People can't see this."

Syaoran suddenly jumped up and pointed, "Don't _touch that._"

"But – this." His manager protested. Syaoran rose to his feet, and laid out a palm.

"Give it." He said with an icy look.

Hiroki frowned, but handed the frame over to the taller and obviously stronger Xiao Lang.

"I don't see why you still carry those things around, do you even remember you're old classmates?"

Syaoran narrowed his eyes, "No, I don't."

Hiroki shrugged and made to kneel so he could continue unpacking for the cold singer. Syaoran stopped him, "I'll unpack, later."

"Okay than, I'll head over on to the hall, meet me there when you're done." Hiroki, grumbling, waved his leave.

When he was sure that his manager was gone, Syaoran placed the frame on to the table next to his lavender vial and leaned back in his couch.

A little girl and boy with track uniforms smiled back at him inside the photo.

* * *

"Hey! Girl! What are you going with that?!" The stout man cried, pointing at Sakura. 

Sakura froze with the pot in her hands and looked at him. She looked down at the flower and back at him. _What does it look like I'm doing? _

"You don't put that there!" He exclaimed, clapping his hands and gesturing at a corner, "Over here, girl, come on."

Sakura glared at him with deep icy green eyes, _I have a name you know. _

Eriol frowned as he got to his feet from meeting the picky manager's demands. He had moved the pot in to a gazillion places before the man had been satisfied.

Sakura pursed her lips but laid the pot carefully in to the spot he had ordered. The man folded his arms but decided to be content.

The three met each other at the front table of the concert hall.

"You're dues are here as followed" Hiroki said shortly. Eriol scanned over the check quickly and stuffed it in his jacket pockets.

He was about to turn away when he noticed Sakura staring at another poster in the hallway.

"Looking at Xiao Lang I see." Hiroki said slyly, "Most girls are, these days."

Sakura blushed, but her eyes continued to wander to the poster and his face. It was a different picture. He was looking up this time, and he was wearing a white dress shirt that showed some of his bare chest. But Sakura wasn't looking at his clothes, or his chest. His eyes…reminded her so much of Syaoran.

Eriol stared at the far off Sakura than faced the man at the table, "You're _in _with Xiao aren't you?"

"I'm his manager." He said proudly before returning to shuffling his papers.

"Well do you think we can get tickets to his concert?" Eriol asked hastily.

Hiroki looked up, "A lot of people want tickets to his concert." He said blandly.

"But – the flowers – c'mon…just spare two."

"If I give you people free tickets, everyone's going to want free tickets, now hurry it up and leave, I have other things to attend to, and I can't leave you two here unassisted." The man now said with annoyance.

Eriol frowned slightly, okay, fine.

"Let's go Sakura. Sakura…let's _go_." Eriol took Sakura by the arm and led her away from the poster. Sakura had been lost again in her thoughts. Gazing in the amber eyes of Xiao Lang.

_Singers…_Eriol thought with disgust.

However at the same time Eriol dragged Sakura out of the concert hall, Syaoran walked in.

It her was her eyes that attracted Syaoran at first, he turned around suddenly to watch the back of a boy and girl walking side by side. The girl had light brown hair that glowed in the sunlight. She looked so familiar. But she had walked by so quickly. He couldn't see her face.

Syaoran stared for a while, before losing his thoughts, and forgetting the moment.

He was greeted almost immediately by Hiroki.

"Xiao Lang, you took forever getting here."

"Ta men liang ge she shui?" _Who were those two? _Syaoran asked in Chinese, ignoring Hiroki completely.

Hiroki meandered along, "Nobody, just some decorators I called for flowers, now hurry up, you have a dance practice session coming up, and you are late." Hiroki grabbed him by the arm, "We still need to do your hair, and find a good attire for you to wear, and your concert is tomorrow…than there's that talk show I planned the day after…"

Syaoran, being dragged off by Hiroki, could not help but feel like he was being haunted by those sudden green eyes that had showed up out of nowhere. _Sakura? No…It's nothing…It's impossible._

_

* * *

_

"Guess who got tickets?" Eriol said.

"Tickets? To what?" Sakura asked, puzzled. Another day had passed since Sakura and Eriol had visited the concert hall. She had nearly forgotten all that had happened. Eriol was more than glad to remind her.

"Xiao Lang concert tickets." Eriol handed a long piece of paper in to Sakura's hands.

Sakura's eyes brightened than fell again, "But…I don't want to go…"

_What am I saying? Of course I want to go. _

"You don't want to go?" Eriol exclaimed, "After gawking at his picture everywhere, and you don't want to go, you've got to be kidding."

Eriol seemed to be reading Sakura's mind.

"No…really…" Sakura replied, uncomfortably shifting on her bicycle seat.

"Just take it, Sakura, please? For me? It took a lot for me to get this." Eriol tried, giving her _the look. _

Sakura smiled, "Eriol…."

"It's nothing, see you later Sakura, at the concert." Eriol laughed and biked away, his motorbike loudly revving down the road. Sakura got back properly on her bike and took a look at the ticket.

_Why do I even want to go to this…concert. _

Than she saw _his name. _She had to take a double take as the two words seemed to pop-up out at her from the ticket.

**Li Syaoran **the "Xiao Lang" will be performing…

The words went on. But. That name is tiny print next to Xiao Lang. There was no mistake that it was in print. Li Syaoran. Xiao Lang.

**Li Syaoran. _Li Syaoran. _**

Sakura felt her chest tighten and tears swelling in her eyes. It was him. She hadn't been wrong. Xiao Lang was Syaoran. Sakura dried her eyes with the back of her hand.

She clenched the ticket tightly, and she was going to see him.

After all these years. Her mind suddenly flew to the vial on her night table. But did he remember? Did he remember his promise? Did he remember _her_?

* * *

"You're _kidding. _That childhood fantasy dream guy, what's his name." Tomoyo said, mocking a dreamy face, "Li – Syaaaaoran - is _really Xiao Lang._" 

Chiharu squealed, "That is so romantic!"

Sakura held up her hands, "Please! Guys! I don't want to make a big – "

"This is just too perfect Sakura!!! Like some fairy tale!" Tomoyo said all dreamy-eyed, clasping her hands together, "The two long awaited loves meet at last."

Sakura rolled her eyes. Chiharu grabbed her wrist, "But – if he really is you're old classmate- than – you can actually _meet _him! Xiao Lang! Oh You've GOT to get us autographs!!! Please Sakura!!"

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything." Sakura rubbed her forehead, helplessly grinning.

"Please Sakura!!! Won't you do it for you're best friends?!" Chiharu pleaded.

"Do what for best friends?" Eriol said, popping out of nowhere, his hands full of potted plants.

"XIAO LANG IS SAKURA'S LI SYAORAN!!!" Tomoyo cried with an outburst.

Sakura hurriedly clamped a palm over Tomoyo's mouth, but the damage had been done. Everyone, including Eriol knew about Sakura's old romance with her childhood boy, Li Syaoran. She was constantly daydreaming about it. How could they not ask or notice?

"He's what?" Eriol's face went blank.

"He's nothing." Sakura replied hastily. Her once bright green eyes fell and became dull. Tomoyo and Chiharu exchanged looks. _Really._

Eriol didn't say anything, but continued to stare at the three girls who had all of a sudden stopped…shrieking.

Sakura nervously retied her hair bandana and bowed meekly, "I'll…get back to work…Eriol."

Eriol narrowed his eyes. Xiao Lang? Is that why Sakura had been day dreaming all this time. Syaoran. Huh._ I can see why she couldn't stop staring at his picture._

* * *

Syaoran sat in a chair, blank music paper in hand. Frustrated that he could not use his guitar to find the right notes. 

His hairdresser sprayed his brown locks with water and combed it for the hundredth time during the uncomfortable half hour.

Syaoran scowled, he had never asked for a concert.

Hiroki wasn't helping, he was once again, pacing the room, being picky, being annoying.

"Xiao Lang, for the last time, stop working on that." He snapped, "You have to ready you're image. It's what you're fans are waiting for. You need to look good – add a little bit more gel on that side – just…stop writing that! Focus!" Hiroki snatched the papers away. Syaoran threw up his hands in frustration.

"Ni zhai gan she me!?" _What are you doing?! _Syaoran snapped back, "Ge wo." _Give them._

Hiroki refused causing Syaoran to rise angrily, despite the distress of his hairdresser who had accidentally combed thin air, "Give them to me, we had a deal Hiroki."

"Part of that deal was for you to be the model singer you're supposed to be."

"The other part was that you'd let me write my own songs." Syaoran gritted, now fully propelled by nothing but his anger.

"You have all the time after the concert." His manager emphasized, "You can have these back, when you're done."

"Hiroki." Syaoran commanded, eyes flashing.

"_After the concert. _Until than, you should behave like the model singer those fans out there are expecting." Hiroki snapped the pieces of paper in his hands, and without another word, left the room.

Syaoran threw up his hands, and let out a howl of frustration.

Than to the pleas of his hairdresser, he slumped back in to his chair to have another comb dragged through his hair.

Now with nothing to do, and nothing to write, Syaoran could do nothing but stare at his reflection. In wonder.

Did all the fans see were…his looks?

Why were they all crazy about his looks anyways. Syaoran stared in to the mirror. He never thought that he was that good looking. His hair was sagging slightly by the water but lifted at the forehead and stuck out. The sides laid back down as gentle bangs that sloped down across the corners of his eyes. He had light brown hair. That hadn't changed since elementary school. His eyes were always commented by. Intense. Deep. Cold. Piercing cold. And his mouth was always set at a thin straight line, he never looked like he smiled.

Twelve years ago, the same face was always laughing. How come he didn't feel the same.

Syaoran shook his head.

_Is it just because of my looks?_

_Do they even care about my music?_

_I never wanted to just show up. I don't want that to be my only fame._

_

* * *

_

Sakura looked in the mirror. Her hair was neatly brushed down. Golden brown, glowing in the dim light of the room. She had washed and readied. Her soft green eyes stared back at her. Now she just needed a good outfit.

She tried her jeans, her red top, her blue top, her polos, her jeanjackets, her sweaters, her tank tops, her halters, even tried a dress.

She finally decided to wear something more casual. It would be sad if Syaoran didn't recognize her if she dressed very much unlike the eight-year-old Sakura he used to know.

Sakura looked in the mirror again. She had tight jeans that billowed out at her heels. And a light pink sweater that rested on her shoulders lightly. Sakura smiled. This was definitely the old Sakura.

Now for preparations.

She lifted the vial gently off the table and peered inside. The same dried lavender she had received from Syaoran was still there. Her daily reminder of his promise. It would just have to be fulfilled a week earlier. She slipped it in to her purse.

Than the ticket, from Eriol. Sakura patted her pockets. It was still there. Okay, everything was set. She just needed one last…thing to do before leaving the house.

An excuse for Touya…

"You look…dressed-up." Touya raised an eyebrow as Sakura sneaked her way downstairs.

"Do I." Sakura said simply, trying to keep a steady gaze at the door.

"Where are you going?" Touya asked, stopping at the bottom of the stairs, blocking her way. Sakura was forced to look at him. The question she had been dreading. Her brother was a good head taller than she was. He had dark hair and dark eyes. Eyes that were searching Sakura for a truthful answer.

"I – uh." Sakura gulped, _damnit_, "I'm going out?"

"I believe…sis. I asked _where._"

"Just – out."

"Sakura." Touya sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't worry about it Touya, I already took my medication…I'm grown up now, okay? I can take care of myself." Sakura said firmly, her eyes filled with determination, and her chin held high.

Touya didn't say anything but just sighed again, "But I always worry."

Sakura felt taken back. Touya had never been so blunt before. She knew he cared for her, but he had never really said it. Especially since father's death…he had closed up so much more.

"I – just – watch out for yourself…" Touya said suddenly, just as Sakura was opening her mouth. Than he released his hold on the banister, clearing Sakura's path, and disappeared in the kitchen.

Sakura was shocked, she couldn't even move. Touya had just…_Let Her Go. _

After being such the overprotective brother he had been. He had just…

_Let her go. _

Sakura smiled. Touya had just opened up that much more.

She felt slightly guilty for having her way now without the usual argument. The usual excuse. But this had happened only in her dreams. Meeting Li Syaoran again. On her twentieth birthday. At her old school. Seeing him all grown up, handsome. Than they would hug, and laugh, and share old memories.

In her dreams.

Sakura could feel the vial in her bag pulsing with energy.

Her dream was coming true now. Syaoran was back. She was going to see him.

_With Eriol._

_

* * *

_

"Sakura!" Eriol called, waving. Sakura turned her head. Eriol was wearing a black jacket, his red shirt showing underneath.

She smiled and ran to meet him.

"Did you bring the ticket?" Eriol asked quickly.

Sakura nodded, taking it out of her pocket. Eriol looked relieved and saluted her jokingly.

"You can go on and watch the concert, I'll wait for you outside."

"Huh?!" _He's going to wait for me outside?! Isn't he coming in with me?!  
_

The crowd was forming at the concert door now. Screaming girls madly rushed through the double doors, flashing their tickets at the doormen.

Sakura wasn't screaming. She was here for a different purpose. She had to see the singing star more than the others had to. She had a reason.

She didn't want to see Xiao Lang. She wanted to see Syaoran. Her Syaoran.

But…why wasn't Eriol…?

"Why aren't you coming with me?" Sakura asked, dumbfounded.

"I only bought one ticket, and it was for you." He said under his breath, as if hoping she could not hear him.

Unfortunately, Sakura could hear him, loud and clear "You only bought _one _ticket? But I thought – you – _one _ticket?"

Eriol rubbed the back of his head, "Well they were sold out…"

Sakura felt her heart drop. She couldn't take his ticket…it wasn't even her money. But Syaoran.

Sakura shut her eyes and pushed the piece of paper in to his arms, Eriol looked confused, "Don't you want it?"

"You take it…and go watch, I'll wait outside."

Eriol refused it angrily, "No! I don't even want to watch the concert, this was for you – "

"It's yours Eriol!" Sakura protested. The air was cold. And the first raindrops came down. The crowds were thinning. And everyone was inside.

"But – Sakura…"

"Take it!" Sakura cried.

"Sakura, they're going to close soon, you need to get inside, it's raining."

"Eriol – I'm not going in by myself. You bought it, so it's yours!" Sakura retorted, tears in her eyes. But Eriol couldn't tell. The rain was coming down, hard.

"Hey you two! We're shutting the doors now! Is it in or out?!" The man at the door called loudly through the storm.

Sakura took the chance and shoved the ticket in to Eriol's hands than marched off, her heart breaking in two. She stopped a few steps away. Drenched in water, her hair sticking to her face, and her carefully chosen sweater now drooped.

Eriol looked at the ticket in his hands than and looked at the sky. His beautiful dark blue hair was soaked, and his glasses had fat droplets on them.

He shook his head and ran forward to Sakura's side, just as the concert doors closed. The two stayed in silence.

Sakura could hardly think. She had just lost her chance…to see Syaoran. She couldn't bear to believe that. But she didn't blame anyone but herself. Why hadn't she relied on buying her own ticket…

Eriol took off his jacket and wrapped it around Sakura's small figure, she shivered in the cold, but refused to budge. The rain came down in torrents now. She sneezed, her hand opened her bag and drew out the vial. It looked almost dismal now…far away. As if it wasn't in her hands.

Eriol sighed, staring at the ruined ticket in his hands and dropped it to the floor. It was useless now. The doors had closed. He stuck his hands in his pockets.

Standing in the rain was doing them no good.

"Sakura…wait here – I'll go get an umbrella." Eriol said, giving Sakura an attempted smile, and jogged off. Sakura stood alone, with a jacket over her shoulders, in the pouring rain. Frozen. Shattered. Crying.

In the mean while, Syaoran Li was singing his heart out on stage. To hundreds and thousands of screaming fans that roared their approval.

Xiao Lang's approval.

Sakura could hear him outside. And her heart throbbed, knowing that she could be one of the girls in the audience, cheering him on. She wanted him to notice her. To see her. And she wanted to see him. To see if he still remembered her.

To see if he knew what the flower lavender really meant.

* * *

Eriol returned quickly with a clear umbrella and covered Sakura underneath it. Sakura held on to herself, keeping warm. 

They stood for about an hour. A boy in nothing but a t-shirt, hand in his pocket, in the rain, holding an umbrella for a girl, drenched, and hugging herself. As the music stopped, Sakura felt her senses returning to her. Syaoran had not left the city yet, she still had a chance.

Eriol as if sensing her feeling a bit better opened his mouth, "You really want to see him…don't you…Syaoran?"

Sakura was startled, he believed her?

"It's okay, I understand how you feel, I'll help you meet him, tonight."

"But – " Sakura began, looking up at the man. He gave a faint grin.

"They have a backdoor don't they? I thought singers always sign autographs at the end of the concert."

"But that's only for the people who are inside," Sakura said, disappointed, the hope leaving her eyes once more.

"I'll find a way."

"How?"

"I don't know, wait here, I'll be right back." Eriol gave her a pat on the back and handed the umbrella in to her hands. Sakura, a bit shook up, took the umbrella and watched as Eriol disappeared between the sheets of rain.

_What's he up to._

Sakura touched the vial that rested in her hands. But if he could find a way. Any way. She'd take the chance. She had to see him. Syaoran.

* * *

"Xiao Lang!! Over here!!! Over here!!!" 

"I see him I see him!!!!!"

"I love you Xiao!"

"I have all your cds!!!!!"

"How do you feel after – "

"What is it like to be the new – "

"XIAO!!! I LOVE YOU!!!"

Girls screamed, pushing the boundaries to the fullest. Guards had to be called to push the crowd back. Syaoran moved down the line of screaming fans and reaching hands that brushed against his brown coat and at his arms.

Syaoran found it hard to not smile. He had just finished his concert with the largest ever showing numbers for an audience. Even Hiroki wasn't being his usual annoying pestering self. He was busy laughing and following after Syaoran congratulating everyone on his hard achievement.

Eriol only caught a glimpse of the singer before quickly turning on his heels and started running back.

Syaoran finally reached the room for him and his staff. Far away from screaming girls, and noise, and autographs, and reporters.

Hiroki entered, quite flustered but grinning like a sappy fellow and immediately popped a bottle of wine, "To Xiao Lang! His future has just begun!" He called, lifting the foaming bottle to the staff who all cheered and rose glasses of already poured wine.

Syaoran suddenly felt himself lose his happiness as Hiroki shoved a glass in to his hands. _What am I doing. _He stared at the glass in his hands, and decided to place it on the table when nobody was watching. _I wasn't meant to do this..._

Hiroki was busy thanking everyone when Syaoran left the room unnoticed.

* * *

"I found him." Eriol breathed, grabbing Sakura who was hastily folding the umbrella.

* * *

An hour after the concert, Hiroki was busy organizing papers and fan mail when he saw Eriol and Sakura burst in to the room. 

"Hi" Eriol gasped for air.

"What are you doing here? You're not suppose to be here." Hiroki said quickly, looking at the panting two.

"Can we see Xiao Lang? Just for a minute?"

The man burst out laughing, "See him? Everyone wants to see him, what makes you two exceptions."

Sakura cut him off seizing the moment, it was her only chance, "I'm his classmate – from elementary school – he knows me – "

This only caused the man to laugh harder, "Right, and I'm his great grandfather – I've heard EVERY lie in the book – you can't pull one over me – "

"Look, remember us? We were from the flower service? Remember?" Eriol gritted, turning red with anger, and stepping forward. Hiroki rose, squinting his eyes.

"Oh yeah, the two clumsy potters." He said, annoyed. Eriol snapped, and lunged forward, grabbing the man by the collar.

"We would like to see Xiao Lang, this girl _needs _to see him." Eriol snarled, pulling him forward. The man was nearly lifted off his feet and he began to howl loudly.

"GUARDS!!" He shouted, "HELP!! INTRUDERS!"

Two men burst in to the room and pulled Eriol off of him. Sakura was nearly pushed to the floor, she almost lost the vial. Than she suddenly remembered.

A man grabbed her by the arm and heaved her to her feet, than started pushing her forward, towards the door. Eriol was furious.

"I'm really his classmate! My name's Sakura Kinomoto! He knows me!! Give this to him, he's sure to remember!" Sakura shoved her arm over the guards shoulder and presented the vial in to Hiroki's face. Who only stared.

"Take it!! Show it to him!!! He'll remember me!! Please!" Sakura tried desperately, Hiroki frowned but let her give him the vial who only stared at in disgust. Flowers. More flowers.

"Do what she says!" Eriol shouted, the two were dragged out the door.

Hiroki muttered, "She _has _to see him." He mimicked, "How disgusting." Than he dropped the vial in to the trash. Forgotten.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sakura and Eriol stood outside, it was still pouring. The rain came down like sheets, drowning the ground. Sakura, who had just dried off, was drenched again. 

"Sakura…it's late, we should go home."

"You can go Eriol, but I know he'll come after he sees the vial, I just know it…" Sakura said hopefully, missing the emptiness of her hands.

Eriol sighed and shoved his fists in to his pockets, "Alright. But we'll wait, only for a while."

* * *

Syaoran sat in the back of his seat, his head leaning in to his hand, watching the city lights go by "Hiroki, where are my papers?" He said suddenly, remembering about the music he had been writing before the concert. 

"Huh – what?" Hiroki muttered, half asleep.

"Where's my music?!" Syaoran cried with an outburst, leaning forward at the passenger seat where Hiroki sat.

He thought a while, "I forgot about them…"

Syaoran twitched, "You what?! Where?"

"Back at the hall, aw c'mon Xiao Lang, music is just music, you can rewrite it later." Hiroki said, waking from his sleep, and finally turning to look at the back of the limo.

"Driver, turn around." Syaoran commanded.

"What?! It's nearly midnight!" Hiroki cried, leaping from his chair.

"I said, _turn around._"

"Syaoran, you are being unreasonable." Hiroki ordered, "Keep going." Was what he said to the driver who was torn between two important men.

"_TURN AROUND!_" Syaoran shouted sharply.

"Fine fine!!! Turn around! Do as he says, head back." Hiroki slumped back in his chair, rubbing his head.

Syaoran did the same. _Damnit._

_

* * *

_

Where is it? Syaoran wiped his hand across the clean table. The janitors had already swept the floors, tables, and shelves clean.

_Where is it?! _

"Face it Xiao, it's not here, we should go." Hiroki said yawning loudly.

"No. It has to be here." Syaoran muttered, bending down to look underneath the tables, than he spotted the trashcan.

"Give up, the janitors already dumped everything out in to the hallway, in the morning, it'll be taken off – "

Syaoran ignored him, and turned the trash can over, it was empty, he threw it on the floor, letting it clunk loudly in the empty room and rolled around in circles.

Than he ran out the room.

"Where are you going?" Hiroki cried, following him out. He found the singer furiously digging through trash bags laying in the hallway.

"EW! Don't touch that!!! It's garbage!!! How gross!!!" Hiroki cried in disgust.

Syaoran heeded no warning and took out trash after trash, searching for his papers when he saw something.

A vial.

Just laying there.

A vial like mine, he thought.

Snatching it from the layers of trash he stared, "Sakura."

The one he given Sakura twelve years ago, why was it…?

"What are you staring at? Did you find it?" Hiroki asked, leaning forward.

"What is this doing here?" Syaoran said swiftly, lifting the vial, and getting to his feet. Hiroki took one glance at it and let out a short laugh.

"Oh just some girl who said something like 'she had to see you'. Long lost classmate," Hiroki rambled, not noticing the light brightening in Syaoran's eyes, "Sakura Kinomoto, or what's it, it was disgusting, the way she was asking about you – "

But Syaoran had already ran off again. Hiroki was calling for him, but he wasn't listening.

_Sakura was here, _he forgot everthing, he just had to make it in time to see her._  
_

Hiroki could do nothing but watch him run out the doors in to the pouring rain, Syaoran's brown jacket flying behind him.

* * *

Sakura brushed the tears and rain out of her eyes, and grabbed the back of Eriol's soaked shirt, clambering on to the back of his motor bike. 

It had been an hour, and Syaoran had not come. _He had forgotten…all about me. _

Eriol looked slightly disappointed by the way Sakura was feeling and tried in failure to cheer her up.

Eriol started the bike. Sakura clung on.

"I'm sure there are other guys out there who are willing to remember you for life." Eriol commented, looking back.

"You're just trying to make me feel better." Sakura said, but tried to smile and change the subject from her wrenching heart, "Tomoyo and Chiharu would be disappointed, I didn't get them autographs."

Syaoran burst out the doors, the rain coming down on him, his soft brown hair lost its volume and clung to his cheeks. Syaoran noticed the umbrella almost immediately. It was a lone clear umbrella, and the ground was dry around it, as if someone had been standing there for a long time.

Syaoran felt a sharp stab of sorrow, he had not come in time. Than he heard the motorbike. Turning his head, he glimpsed a girl and boy riding away down the street, disappearing in to the darkness. In to the rain.

Hiroki came out of the concert hall, and immediately stepped back seeing the rain. He was calling for Syaoran, obviously distressed that the singer was soaked. And that it was way past his bedtime. But Syaoran wasn't paying attention.

He was standing next to the lone umbrella on the floor. His fingers were rolling the vial of Sakura's dried lavender around in his hands. Cherishing the familiarity of the vial that he had held twelve years ago. Wishing that it wasn't just the vial that he held.

Syaoran stood there for the longest time, staring off in to emptiness, where the motorbike had disappeared. Though inside, Syaoran felt loneliness, standing by himself in the rain. Inside he felt he had missed something important. But on the outside. He was smiling. Something neither Syaoran or Xiao Lang had done in years.

* * *


	3. Not Syaoran

**AN:** _HEY! FIRST CHAPTER! I DO HAVE A DISCLAIMER! THANK YOU! Okay. Just had to get that out of my system. Sorry. Guess who updated? ME!  
_

_

* * *

_

**Lavender III**

**Not Syaoran**

* * *

"WHAT?!" Eriol leapt from his chair and slammed the paper on to the desk. 

Headlines: _Old Student Slut for our Singer Xiao Lang?_

"Eriol? What's wrong?" Sakura asked, Eriol jumped again. He hadn't seen Sakura standing there. He had been a bit touchy about Sakura's feelings ever since last night. She had been like a fragile vase, and he felt like he was always dropping it.

"Uh uh – nothing – nothing – at all – just uh – throwing away the newspaper – yeah – " Eriol shoved the papers behind his back and inched out the door.

Sakura shrugged. If he didn't want to tell her, she was okay with that. Sakura sighed. It seemed that Eriol had been avoiding her lately. Was it because of yesterday? Sakura continued trimming her lavender flowers. They were already blooming. Sakura felt her heart fading away as she remembered her birthday was coming faster than she wanted.

Tomoyo and Chiharu nearly pushed her over, shrieking with excitement, "SAKURA!!! YOU'RE IN THE NEWS!!!"

"What?" Sakura cried, turning around, and dropping her pliers. Her alarm surprised her friends but they shook it off knowing that they had gotten her friend's attention.

"Look! See! Right here!" Tomoyo pushed the paper in to Sakura's face and pointed than read, "Old elementary classmate, Sakura Kinomoto, has laid claims on our famous Xiao Lang." She said as her finger followed the line. Sakura felt her mind spinning with each word. She felt as if she was reading about some other Sakura Kinomoto, and not about herself. They couldn't be talking about her. Her eyes trailed the papers. "…a desperate girl…stealing Xiao Lang's attention…a romantic past…"

_How can this be? _

"And it goes on…see? You're mentioned here, and here, and here." Chiharu added, jabbing at all over the place.

But Sakura wasn't listening to either of them; she was staring open-mouthed at the title. _slut? _

Chiharu however, was still pointing and shouting at the top of her lungs, unaware of the large headlines, "That means you met him right!! Right?! C'mon Sakura…tell me you got autographs!!"

Tomoyo noticed her friend's distress; Sakura wasn't moving, her eyes were frozen in place, "Chiharu…let's…leave Sakura alone."

Sakura's mind whirled; she had to hold on to the table to steady herself. Her heart was pulsing again. She feared her illness might start acting up.

"But the autographs!! Look, its in the news, she's got to have met him."

"Chiharu," Tomoyo commanded, worried about Sakura's paled expression.

"Sakura!!! How was it? Was it romantic? Did you guys kiss?" Chiharu went on, ignoring Tomoyo. Sakura felt her eyes water. _Kiss? _

"Well Sakura? Tell us about it!"

_Kiss? And than called me a slut?! In public news?! _

"C'mon Sakura, did you meet him?"

Sakura had had it, all confusion left her, every emotion was replaced with fury, she threw the papers in to the air angrily. They flew all around, landing on everything inside the nursery, than she turned on the wide-eyed Chiharu, "I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SEE HIM OKAY?! THESE ARE ALL LIES!!! I DIDN'T EVEN MEET HIM!!!"

Sakura, crying, ran out the door. Eriol met her on the way in, "Sakura! Wha – Sakura?!"

He took a look around the nursery. Papers everywhere. Sakura running and crying. Eriol pieced it together nearly instantly. Eriol exchanged looks with Chiharu and Tomoyo.

"I tried to stop her." Tomoyo said finally, pointing at the shocked Chiharu.

Eriol gave a frustrated sigh, and turned to chase after Sakura who had disappeared.

* * *

"What happened?! How did this happen! No one even saw us!!! We weren't even together!!! What is this!?!?!" Syaoran cried angrily, marching around his room. Hiroki sat near, hands folded together. He had a nervous look watching the short-tempered Xiao Lang fueled by rage. 

"I'm sure it was a hoax. But this is how gossip works, especially if you're a star; they dig up information on you, " Hiroki said reassuringly.

"She can't see this!" Syaoran cried, turning on Hiroki, "She can't see this!!!" He repeated, even more disorientated. His face was bright red, and his eyes were piercing cold. His fists were clenched and he kicked a chair impatiently. Time was ticking away. Sakura would be reading the disastrous headlines any minute now. Than how was he supposed to explain himself?

Hiroki frowned, who was this girl to him anyways. Why was he so angry with this, it doesn't even affect him at all.

"I need to see her, I _need _to tell her what happened, she can't possibly believe this, this – this trash – this shit," Syaoran slumped in to his couch, and buried his face in his hands, "How could this happen," He moaned.

Hiroki scowled. There was that word again. "need" She needed to see him. Now he _needs _to see her. Why was everyone so needy? But…although the girl was none of his concern, Syaoran was his road to fortune.

Hiroki rubbed his head, "I think we can work something out."

"What?" Syaoran said half heartily, rubbing his face. Relaxing his tense body.

Hiroki was suddenly reminded of something that had happened yesterday and spun the plan in his mind almost instantly, "You need a place for autographs, you know that, and since you like lavenders, I was thinking you could go to the nearby Tomoeda Nursery Gardens."

Syaoran looked up hearing the familiar name, "But what does that have anything to do with the girl."

"She works there…She was the one who delivered flowers to our concert hall." Hiroki said.

Syaoran's face fell, "That's great but if I don't see her now, I think she wouldn't even want to meet me any time later." Syaoran said blandly, and folded his arms firmly across his chest. Giving a defiance glare at his manager who looked disappointed that he did not like his plan.

"But I'm still going to plan the site." Hiroki said stubbornly.

Syaoran narrowed his eyes, "But I need to see her as soon as possible, manager." He retorted with a heavy mocking tone.

Hiroki frowned again._ See her as soon as possible_, "Fine, I'll find out where she lives."

"Now." Syaoran commanded.

"Fine Fine! Now it is! No respect for the man who does all the work – " Hiroki, murmuring to himself, rose and left the room.

After his manager had gone Syaoran groaned in to his hands than threw himself in to the couch. He stared at the ceiling. _How could this happen? I finally get to meet Sakura. And I have to meet her like this. ARGH._

_

* * *

_

"Sakura…" Eriol said, putting his hand on to her shoulder. She shrugged him off. It had been all afternoon that Eriol had pursued her, she was tired of crying. But not tired enough to start talking.

"Sakura…? Listen to me." Eriol turned her around; she refused to look at him. Eriol sighed, she was giving herself too much of a hard time. Her hair hung limply down her face as she stared at the floor. Eriol tried to make his voice sound as soft and gentle as possible, "Xiao Lang is a famous celebrity, celebrities always cheat and lie to get themselves to the top, he doesn't deserve a girl like you, you shouldn't get yourself beat up over him."

Sakura shut her tear-stricken eyes but relaxed in Eriol's firm hold.

Eriol was right about celebrities. In a way, but Syaoran was different. Because Syaoran had given her something she would never forget. Love and Care. During her childhood, no one ever gave her any of that. Syaoran changed everything. He was different; she _knew _that he was different. But still. He had changed. She didn't know him anymore. He had drifted somewhere far off.

He wasn't Syaoran. He was Xiao Lang. Someone who could get any girl he wanted. Why would he want someone as plain as Sakura Kinomoto. Why would he want her? Now since he had it all.

"Eriol?" Sakura said suddenly. The first words she had spoken to him during the two hours of crying. Her eyes remained dull however as she looked at him. Eriol wanted to see the familiar sparkle, but he knew that was too much to ask at the time.

"Yes?" Eriol replied, glad that she was finally up to talking again.

Sakura hesitated before answering. After all, the story belonged to her and Syaoran, did she dare unfold it to someone else "I want to show you something."

_Show me something? _Eriol thought to himself, puzzled. He looked around, as if expecting to see some giant thing hiding somewhere off in the distance. But all around them were meadows of wild flowers. They had wandered off the road for a long time now. But Eriol knew the land around his nursery like the back his hand.

So what was there to show?

"Show me what – hey – " Eriol gasped, Sakura had grabbed him by the hands and began running up the hill. Eriol followed quickly, catching on to Sakura's building excitement. This was going to be the first time after many years she was going to see the place. She felt that if she went alone, the memories would haunt her. So Eriol would have to accompany her. They ran up the hill and across another vast plain.

Eriol was confused; he hadn't seen this place before. How did she know where she was going? Eriol began to drag behind, trying to take in the new surroundings. They had lost site of the road now. All around them were small blooming purple flowers. They folded like waves in the ocean. _Lavenders…_Eriol thought to himself…_How Typical. _Sakura pulled him playfully along.

"C'mon!" She called, smiling.

* * *

"Tomoeda Nursery Gardens, how may we help you today sir?" Tomoyo chirped, pleased that she had memorized Eriol's lines perfectly. 

"Good day, I'm here to schedule an event that will take place on your nursery, and we need your permission." The man replied curtly.

_Okay. Now what. _Tomoyo didn't really know what to say, after all, this was Eriol's job. To answer the phone. But he had run off after Sakura.

Tomoyo glanced at Chiharu nervously. She shrugged and continued pulling weeds out of a small pot. Tomoyo frowned.

"Um, okay." Tomoyo replied uncertainly.

"Would you like the time?"

"Um…okay…."

Meanwhile, Hiroki was getting slightly impatient on the other line, that the person wasn't helpful at all.

It will be held tomorrow, at one." He said, annoyance dripping from his voice.

"Uhhhhh…sure….." Tomoyo than jumped and realized she should be writing things down, she grabbed a pencil and wrote, Tomorrow, big event.

Than she decided to ask her own question, "What is this event anyways?"

This the man replied with a sheer obvious pride in his tone of voice "Leo will be holding his autograph signing session at your nursery."

"Okay." Tomoyo agreed without really paying attention. Than, "WAIT WHAT?!"

Chiharu jumped from the floor, and stared at Tomoyo with questioning eyes. Tomoyo squealed silently and gestured her to come over. Chiharu hurried to the table and stuck her ear next to Tomoyo's.

They both listened to the man's second explanation, "I said _Leo _will be holding his autograph session at your nursery, is that alright?!"

"YES!" Tomoyo said loudly. Chiharu leapt from the table and danced around the greenhouse. Spraying weeds across the floors.

"Okay, than it's settled." The man said, with his eyebrow twitching at the screams in the background.

"YES!!" Tomoyo shouted, "THANK YOU!"

_Click. _

"Oh." Tomoyo pursed her lips, "How rude, he hung up on me, oh well!"

"LEO!!! COMING HERE!!!" Chiharu grabbed Tomoyo and they both danced around Eriol's table. Tomoyo grinned. Sakura's' going to love us. _As long as Eriol agrees with the idea._

_

* * *

_

_What is this place? _Eriol thought quietly to himself. Sakura had led Eriol non-stop to a gigantic ancient greenhouse. The hinges were rusting. The grass inside were all weeds. In fact, there were nothing on the outside either. And it seemed it was at the end of its days as a standing building. Sakura however, seemed as happy as ever, though panting heavily.

Eriol looked at her with a curious expression as of why Sakura would bring him to such a dumpy greenhouse.

"Let's go inside." Sakura said, and pulled on Eriol's sleeve. He followed her to the door.

Grabbing the handles, Sakura heaved them open. They creaked loudly as they slowly inched apart. Eriol winced. Someone needed to oil these doors. Sakura didn't seem to mind, she stepped inside.

Eriol squeezed through the gap after her.

"So…this is it?" He commented, looking around. Seeing there was nothing interesting in the greenhouse. Nothing really growing in it. The whole ground was covered in dense weeds. There were practically no flowers. The shelves hung low. Some were on the floor. Pots were broken. Dirt was scattered everywhere. Nothing was in bloom. Eriol frowned. _Nice Place…_

"Syaoran took me here, when I was eight."

Eriol tensed at the name. So it's about him again._ I see…This is why she was so happy._

Eriol found himself unable to open his mouth. He didn't want to say anything nice about this greenhouse. If it was Syaoran's.

Sakura twirled around in the small patch of pavement. Eriol noticed how beautiful she looked turning around and laughing. The sun shining on her hair and her eyes were sparkling again. A beautiful green glow that warmed his heart.

* * *

It was night, and the weather was warm. Sakura and Eriol stopped at her house. She took of her pink helmet and gave it back to Eriol. 

"Thanks for sending me home, I could've biked…really…" She remarked. Eriol shook his head.

"No, it was the least I could do, after showing me that greenhouse today.." Eriol replied, taking the helmet. Sakura was about to say good-bye when Eriol suddenly remembered a call he had gotten from Tomoyo earlier, "Oh wait! Sakura! I almost forgot."

Sakura turned around, "Hm?"

"Yeah, Tomoyo's made reservations at the nursery tomorrow, you got to be there at one. No later."

"Sure…but what's going on?"

"You're boyfriend's planning his autographing session there."

Sakura frowned. "I don't have a boyfriend – " Than it hit her. And she said angrily, "Syaoran is not my boyfriend."

"Would it be a bad thing if he was though?" Eriol said, shifting his weight to face Sakura on his bike.

Sakura laughed sourly, "If he was my boyfriend?"

_Yeah right...he doesn't even remember me..._

Sakura laughed again, "Being a star's girlfriend, life would be too easy, you'd get his car, and his money, and his house, and his fame…there'd be too much stuff to do." Sakura joked.

Eriol felt himself relax. _So she didn't like him anymore._ But Sakura looked a little sadder as she joked about Xiao Lang's life.

Meanwhile in his car a little distance away from the two Syaoran was struck cold. Sakura had changed, she was just like all the other girls. The girls who were after his fame and money. Syaoran's head whirled. He needed to get away. He didn't want to see her. He didn't want to see her like this. How could she change this much. Sakura was never like this. How could she do this to him. Syaoran's hand shook as he placed it on his car keys.

He looked at Sakura with hate and despair. And hit the pedal in his car furiously. _This was not Sakura. Sakura would never think of me like that. _

Eriol looked up and just barely slid past the racing car that shot down the road past Sakura's house. Sakura glanced at it, puzzled.

"Dude, that was a Mercedes, what kind of a guy drives a car like that around here." Eriol commented, watching the roaring vehicle disappear in the distance.

Sakura glanced at her watch and realized it was too late, her brother would be mad, "I've got to go Eriol…I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Don't forget! Tomorrow!" Eriol reminded and watched as the green-eyed girl disappeared behind the door.

_After all...tomorrow's for you..._

_

* * *

_  
Sakura laid in bed, unable to fall asleep. How could Tomoyo do this to me. Inviting Syaoran over like that. How could she. Sakura turned on her side and stared straight in to the old elementary school picture.

Syaoran smiled back at her.

The real Syaoran.

Sakura felt a single tear roll down her cheek and hastily wiped it away. _I'll just not go tomorrow…Eriol will understand. _Sakura put her hand on the frame. Than flipped it upside down on her desk. She didn't want to have to see a smiling Syaoran watching her sleep. There will never be a smiling Syaoran…Just a star named Xiao Lang.

But she dreamed of lavenders that night.

* * *

The next morning, Tomoyo was dressed in her nicest apron and her nicest bandana. So was Chiharu. Eriol was in a simple sweatshirt and khaki pants. He wasn't really the kind to want to impress a guy like Xiao Lang. 

The nursery was packed. There were several news vans parked down the road that led to the city. The garden itself were filled with crowds and crowds of screaming girls. Cameramen. Reporters. And everyone really…

Eriol felt dizzy watching it all. And he wondered where Sakura was. It was already one-thirty. She was late. And she was never late.

Tomoyo and Chiharu were busy setting refreshments. They hoped if they finished early, they would get a glimpse of Xiao Lang in person.

That's when Sakura burst through the doors of the nursery. Apparently she had just finished chaining her bike outside. Eriol looked relieved. Sakura quickly tied the bandana in to her hair and took a tray of wine from Tomoyo. Who only looked more cheerful.

"Xiao's over there." Tomoyo nudged her shoulder in a direction. But Sakura wasn't listening and bustled off in the same direction Tomoyo had been indicating.

Eriol frowned, Sakura didn't' seem very happy.

_Touya had to make me go to work. He just had to. _Sakura was cursing under her breath. Maneuvering between the many people who crowded around the signing table.

Than she caught site of him. Just the view of messy brown hair, was all Sakura needed to turn around and start walking in the opposite direction. She didn't want to see him. And she didn't know why. All she ever wanted to do all these twelve years was to _see _him. And now…since he was just a couple yards away, she turned away. Why? Sakura shut her eyes. I don't care about him anymore. He doesn't even remember who I am.

"Hey! You! If you have refreshments, why don't you come over here?!" A familiar voice cried. Hiroki. He grabbed Sakura by the arm, and Sakura, shocked by the sudden contact, she screamed and ended up dropping most of the glasses on to Hiroki's suit.

It was Hiroki's turn to scream, "LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID!!! THIS SUIT COST ME A FORTUNE!!"

Sakura quickly looked at her feet, so he would not recognize her. This only fueled Hiroki on, who was shouting at the top of his lungs.

Some people stopped talking to look at what had happened. Eriol heard the shouting a while away and hurried towards the direction.

"JUST LOOK AT IT! WHAT KIND OF – YOU – YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS – THIS" Hiroki spat, turning beet red.

"What's going on?" Eriol gasped, reaching Sakura and Hiroki, "What happened?"

"THIS GIRL RUINED MY SUIT! YOU WILL HAVE HER PAY FOR IT!" Hiroki cried furiously, shaking his fist.

Eriol scowled, it was this man, than he turned towards Sakura, "Are you hurt?"

This only angered Hiroki more, "What are you doing?! She poured it all over me!! And you're asking her if SHE's HURT?!"

"Look You! I don't care who you are, but you shouldn't be yelling at her like that, it wasn't her fault!"

"So are you saying it's MY FAULT?!" Hiroki howled.

Everyone stopped laughing, talking. They all stopped to stare at the red-faced man in a soaked suit who was shouting like mad. Even Xiao Lang looked up from his work to stare at the scene. Who was Hiroki yelling at now.

"What's your name! I demand to know your name!!" Hiroki spat.

Eriol intervened, "You have no right to ask her that!"

"SHE RUINED MY SUIT! I WANT HER NAME! SHE WON'T GET AWAY WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT!"

"SHE DOESN'T NEED TO ANSWER YOU!"

"Sakura Kinomoto!" Sakura blurted suddenly, her fists clenched, eyes set, "My name is Sakura Kinomoto."

Hiroki's face went blank, _Sakura Kinomoto? The guy who…Xiao Lang…_

Syaoran snapped up. _It's her. _

In three powerful strides he arrived on the scene. Hushing everyone almost instantly. Syaoran pushed Hiroki aside, so he could see Sakura's face.

Syaoran stared at the girl in front of him. This was the closest he had seen her. Her green eyes hadn't changed…at all. Her face was slimmer though. And her hair was down. It was beautiful down.

Eriol felt himself stepping aside as everyone stared as the two face each other. Boring down each other's eyes.

Sakura could hardly breathe. This was Syaoran. Staring at her. Syaoran, who was now half a head taller than her. Syaoran who was giving her weak knees. Sakura felt as if she couldn't hold herself above the water. She was drowning in those eyes.

"Kinomoto Sakura?" Syaoran said deeply, feeling the name that had always been at the tip of his tongue but he could never say out loud.

Sakura brightened. He _did _remember her.

Than the cameras started. The reporters went crazy, "XIAO LANG! IS THIS GIRL YOU CLAIM TO HAVE A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH?!"

"XIAO LANG!!! WHO IS SHE?!"

"Syaoran?" Sakura barely whispered. Than she saw something change in his eyes. Something was different in those amber eyes.

Syaoran felt himself burning as he remembered what Sakura had said yesterday night.

_"Being a star's girlfriend, life would be too easy, you'd get his car, and his money, and his house, and his fame…"_

That was all she wanted. Than let's see how she likes it…being a star's girlfriend.

And right there. When all the cameras were clicking. When everyone was holding their breath. Wondering who on earth this girl in a plain apron was. And why Syaoran was looking at her in such a strange way.

Right there. Syaoran swept down and pressed his lips against Sakura's. Sakura gasped in to his mouth. _What is he doing?! _

The cameras were exploding with excitement as picture after picture was taken. They could see the next headlines. _The Mysterious Girl from Nowhere; Xiao Lang's new Interest._

Just as fast as Syaoran had surprised her, they separated. And Sakura was frozen in shock. As the warmth that had just been against her mouth disappeared.

Syaoran however, was unfazed, his eyes blank with no emotion, "This is Sakura Kinomoto, we were classmates in elementary school." He introduced to the crowd that had gathered.

The reporters all murmured and jotted notes down. The screaming fans now eagerly watched what Syaoran would say next.

But the next thing he said, was not given to the audience, he turned towards Sakura. Who had still not moved from her spot. Her mind was everywhere. Her heart was beating so quickly she thought she would faint.

Eriol was nowhere to be seen.

Syaoran's face however, had changed, "Isn't it great to be my girlfriend? Sakura Kinomoto?"

Sakura jolted back to reality. _His girlfriend?! What is he trying to say. _

"You can have my fame, my money, my car…you can even have my credit card." Syaoran cried loudly, so everyone could hear.

The girls laughed and shrieked. The whole crowd surrounding them was laughing. At her. Sakura felt herself lost in a world of confusion. _What is he saying? What is he saying?!_

"So? You want to be my girlfriend?" Syaoran asked, in a deep mocking voice. His eyes were taunting, angry. He looked at Sakura like she was nothing to him.

Sakura's mind went blank. Than she felt a sudden anger burning inside of her. This was not Syaoran Li. This was not her Syaoran Li. Syaoran Li would never. _Never_, say something like that to her. This was not the same eight-year-old boy who had promised to return just for her. This was not the same boy who had given her the love inside a small vial.

This was…

Someone who had no heart. No emotions. No feelings. This was Xiao Lang. Not Syaoran.

Syaoran stared in to her eyes with a fierce intensity. Sakura's face had lost its smile, it's gentleness. She gripped the only glass of wine left on her tray.

Every emotion was replaced with fury.

He would not get away with this. Humiliating her in front of all these people.

_ How dare he think of her like that._ She was no crazy fan girl. She wasn't after his money. She didn't even want the famous Xiao Lang.

She lifted her chin high, and glared straight in to this man's eyes.

"So? Are you going to say anything?" Syaoran demanded impatiently.

"You are –" Sakura said, in a bare whisper. But Syaoran heard every word. The reporters leaned forward.

"I am a what." He cut in coldly.

"You are not Syaoran!" Sakura finished in an outburst.

Than she threw the remaining glass in to his face.

Hiroki let out a shriek. Syaoran could say nothing as red wine dripped from his brown locks. _Sakura. _The crowd was in an uproar.

Sakura didn't even look back as she ran, tears threatening to fall.


	4. Your Promise: Memories

I AM SO SORRY!! I ACCIDENTILY PUT "LEO" INSTEAD OF XIAO LANG!!! AHHHH!!! NOOOOOO!!!! OKAY!!! VERY VERY VERY SORRY!!! MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES!!!

** Oh. hahahah! Today is my BIRTHDAY! So this is my BIRTHDAY GIFT for all of you!!! grins like an idiot. And what's cool about it is that. Sakura's birthday is in this update too. how awesome is that!!!  
**

BTW. There is a bit more profanity in this one...sorry.

* * *

**Lavender IV**

**Your Promise: Memories  
**

* * *

"Explain this –" Touya said with clenched teeth, he threw the paper on the table with a loud _BANG!_ Sakura stared, completely guilty. 

A huge picture of Syaoran and Sakura was displayed on the front page. Locked lips and all.

"Explain yourself!" Touya repeated himself, glaring at Sakura, who would not look at him.

"I – I don't know what happened." Sakura muttered.

_Liar._

_You do know what happened. You did it._

"Sakura!" Touya cried with absolute frustration, slamming his palm on to the table, "You can't do this! You can't keep doing this! You nearly killed yourself!!! Running home like that!!! If I hadn't been home early – do you not _see it?_"

She started crying, choking back pure guilty tears that rolled down her cheeks.

* * *

"_Sakura!" Touya cried alarmed, "SAKURA?!"_

_Sakura was on her knees, coughing feverishly. Her hands were on her neck. She couldn't breathe. Her heart was out of control. Her whole body was shaking._

_Touya threw the papers he had been reading aside and grabbed her by the shoulders._

_"Sakura, take a deep breath, where's your medication, where is your medication?!" Touya realized she was unable to speak and rushed throughout the house. Looking for the small bag of pills._

_Stay calm, for crying out loud, Touya, you're a doctor!_

_He spotted her pills on the kitchen table and snatched them up quickly, rushing back to helpless girl, now violently shuddering on the floor._

_"Sakura! Please! Open up your mouth!" Touya shoved two white pills between her lips and rubbed her throat. Sakura was forced to swallow and choked as the two pills slid down unwillingly._

_She was in a dangerous situation. Touya prayed that he had not been too late._

_How the hell did she end up like this?!_

_Than he recalled the papers…Syaoran._

_

* * *

_

"You could've _died_!" Touya cried, remembering the hopeless feeling he had felt just hours before. Sakura threw her arms around him.

She sobbed in to his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Touya! I just couldn't stop running – " She choked loudly.

Touya looked at his crying sister, "I don't want to see anymore about you and Syaoran Li – I will not let him take you away from me."

Sakura rocked back and forth as she cried silently in to Touya's chest. She was in denial. Her whole life. The vial. Syaoran Li. And all that had happened.

She was in denial.

Because after today…

Syaoran Li never existed.

Just like Eriol said. He was just a celebrity.

* * *

"Where is she?!" 

"Where is that girl – damnit,"

"What the fuck are you guys still doing here?!" Eriol roared, throwing up his arms and pushing the mob of reporters back, "She's not here! She went home!!"

"Not here?!"

"Shit!"

"Where does she live!!!?" One man cried.

Eriol looked furious, "Just LEAVE!"

"Than we have a couple questions for you!"

"Us too!!!"

"ARRRGH!!!!" Eriol took a threatening step forward, "The SHIT I want to answer _your _questions! If you don't leave, I _will call the police_!"

"AW C'MON! WE WAITED HOURS!!"

"GO!" Eriol shouted, "GO GO GO!!!"

"Man calm down!"

"We only wanted to ask a couple questions…"

"Fine fine, this is pointless anyways – " The reporters chorused and slowly turned their backs and left one by one.

Eriol hadn't cursed this much profanity since he was in high school.

Sakura wasn't going to like any of this. The reporters. The cameras.

Eriol blamed everything on Syaoran Li. That Bastard.

* * *

_What the shit just happened. What the SHIT just happened?!?! _

Syaoran Li stormed his room, kicking open his door furiously.

Hiroki followed him like a dog, making useless remarks.

"NO WAY AM I LETTING HER GET AWAY WITH THIS!!!"

"Stupid shit." Syaoran cursed, throwing his bags on to the floor.

"She ruined my suit, she ruined your reputation, humiliating… that girl!"

_You are not Syaoran. _

Syaoran swore silently. _GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!_

_Not Syaoran…_

Syaoran slapped himself in the forehead. _OUT OUT OUT!!!_

"That girl!!!! ##$…I paid a fortune for this – " Hiroki whined loudly at his stained suit.

Those eyes, just looking at him. _What is she doing to me?!_

"WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING TO ME?!" Syaoran cried out loud, scattering papers everywhere.

"She won't get away with this, I'll have all my men after her, we'll dig up all there is, she'll be in a living hell – I'll make sure of it – "

"HIROKI! JUST SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" Syaoran threw himself on to his couch and buried his face in to his hands.

Hiroki ignored him and sat down besides the man "What's the matter with you – "

"Just shut up." Came a muffled reply.

Hiroki thought for a while in silence, "Do you need to see Erika, Xiao? Will that make you feel better?"

Syaoran looked up, hearing the all too familiar name.

_Erika. Oh yeah._

"I can make arrangements for her to come to Japan," Hiroki continued.

Syaoran groaned, "I don't know. I don't feel like seeing her right now."

"But with that Kinomoto Girl - " Hiroki protested.

"SHUT UP ABOUT HER!" Syaoran cried with agitation, "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! I NEED TIME TO THINK!"

Syaoran rapidly rose from the couch, nearly knocking Hiroki off his seat.

Than he stormed in to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Hiroki sighed impatiently when he heard the sound of running water. _Fine, if he doesn't admit he wants to see Erika. I'll call her myself._

_

* * *

_

"Ugh." Syaoran looked in the clouded mirror. His hair was all chunky now. Massed together with the sticky wine Sakura had thrown in to his face.

It was disgusting.

The scene replayed in his head a million times.

Over and over again.

Her face. Her stare. Her eyes.

Those gods forbid beautifully fierce eyes.

Everything.

Again and Again.

Haunting him.

_You are not Syaoran. You are not Syaoran._

"Damnit!" Syaoran swore, slamming his fist on to the marble sink. Swearing again when it hurt him more than it did the countertop.

The water was still running. Heat was pouring from the tub. Steam was gushing around the room, clouding the mirror till he could see no reflection. His clothes were wet from the condensation. Sweat drops formed on his forehead. But he didn't care.

He never cared.

He wanted the vapor to drown the thoughts in his head away.

He wanted it to drown Sakura away. Her voice. He wanted her voice to stop ringing in his head.

"…_you can have his money…his car…his fame…" _

Syaoran covered his ears.

"…_Not Syaoran!"_

Syaoran tore off his wet red-stained shirt, and rubbed his head feverishly. Than bent his head over the sink, squeezing his eyes shut.

_Which one is it?! Which Sakura is she?!?!_

"his car…his fame…"

_Which one?!?!?! Which one was really Sakura?!?! _

"You are not Syaoran!"

_Damnit Kinomoto!!! You are driving me INSANE!_

_

* * *

_

"Are you sure it's her?" A snobbish voice said to a tall blond friend.

"I'm positive, she's wearing the same ugly sweater." She replied.

"Ew, like – what kind of crap is that? I bet it's not even branded."

"It's gross…"

Sakura rounded the bend only to be stopped by two ditzy looking blond girls.

"Um…hi?" She said quietly. Wondering why they were in her way. She didn't want to be late to the first day of work after the incident with Syaoran. Touya had made her take four days off. Eriol had heartily agreed, leaving Sakura with no say.

"You're that Kinomoto girl, aren't you?" One said, taking a step forward, and narrowing her dark eyes.

Sakura eyed them both. _How do they know my name?_

"You were the bitch that disgraced Xiao Lang, whore?" The other demanded.

_Oh no…the news._

"No. I think you've mistaken me for somebody else." Sakura lowered her eyes and tried to keep walking, pushing her bicycle forward hastily.

"—the shit, you've got the same disgusting green eyes –" The taller one said snottily. Sakura bit her bottom lip. This wasn't good…

Than the two tore her bike away from her hands.

"Hey!! What are you doing – Stop!" Sakura cried helplessly as her bike was thrown to the ground. _My bike! _

"—she likes her bike." One girl commented, grinning evilly. She kicked the pedals hard. Sakura tried to pull them away but they only pushed her aside.

"Stop! Stop it!" She said, reaching forward. One grabbed her by the wrist and flung her to the floor.

Sakura caught her breath and looked wide-eyed as the girls chunked heavy stones at her precious bike.

"That's what you get – for humiliating Xiao Lang." The girl cried, kicking the wheels. Sakura could only watch as the wires bent and the braces dented in with each forceful blow.

_Why are they doing this?! That bike was a gift from Syaoran. _

Syaoran.

Sakura gasped to herself.

I'm still thinking about him! How could I! After all that he did to you! You can't possibly still care for his bike.

"Hey! THE FUCK ARE YOU GUYS DOING TO MY SISTER?!"

"Shit, let's get outta' here – " The taller one cried and the two scattered, disappearing out of sight. Touya came sprinting as fast as he could, shaking his fists.

He was down-right pissed off.

"I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACES AGAIN!" He shouted after them.

Sakura had tears in her eyes when Touya turned towards her.

"Damnit Sakura!!! Don't you start crying!!!" He cried, red in the face, "It was all my stupid fault, because I wasn't there - so don't be a crybaby over my fault!"

Sakura froze. What Touya had said sparked a memory from long ago.

"What are you crying for? You're not the one hurt." Syaoran commented, noticing Sakura tearing up, again.

**_She hastily wiped the tears away and took a bandage, "It was all my fault, I couldn't get them to stop."_**

**"_It is not you're fault, I got in to it on my own." Syaoran protested, fidgeting as Sakura wrapped his leg with the bandage._**

**"_You're actually bleeding, when I fell down on the track, I wasn't bleeding," Sakura said, wiping more tears. _**

**_Syaoran rolled his eyes, than exchanged looks with Sakura, "You've got to take care of yourself…you can't keep crying like this…you're acting like…a crybaby."_**

"…are you hurt?" Touya said with a joking frustration. Sakura jolted back to the present.

"No…just shaken up…"

Touya cussed loudly, and pulled Sakura off the ground. She wiped the tears away. _I am not a crybaby._

"I can't believe that Syaoran, he still wasn't satisfied after all that crap he did to you."

"You saw the whole thing?" Sakura asked softly, as he helped raise the beat-up bike from the floor.

"Through the window - I got here as fast as I could – I knew I should've let you take the whole week off - "

Sakura choked back more tears seeing the state her bike was in. The tires were bent, and the pedals were completely jarred aside. It looked impossible to fix.

_I don't get it…I don't get it…_Why does the world treat me like this. _And yet I still can't stop thinking about him?!_

_

* * *

_

"I can't believe that bastard!" Tomoyo said loudly, nearly dropping another pot of plants. Chiharu seconded her outburst.

"And to think I thought he was the perfect!!! That jerk!" She hollered.

"Damn right…after what he did to Sakura." Eriol agreed, scribbling something furiously in to his notebook.

Tomoyo slammed her palm on to the table, "Sakura didn't even do anything to him! She cared about him; she talked about him all the time!!! And this is how he treated her!!! What kind of a guy is he?!"

Chiharu nodded feverishly, "Xiao Lang, he's the real fake."

"Hey! Can I speak with Sakura Kinomoto?!" Someone hollered from the door. All three heads snapped up to meet a very flustered face of a man. He had a camera around his neck.

"—YOU AGAIN!" Eriol shouted, and jumped from his chair, his fists clenched, "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE ME ALONE?!"

"—it's my job." He answered, giving an apologetic wave. Eriol groaned, and marched over to him. Tomoyo and Chiharu glared, forgetting their work.

"Well?" He asked as Eriol neared.

"Leave. Now."

"I can't…" He whined, begging, "I won't get paid if I don't get anything on this Sakura girl. I have a family you know!"

"I don't give a shit."

"My kids will starve!!!" He pleaded, his eyes wide.

Eriol let out a frustrated growl, "Let's talk outside."

The man's eyes widened further, "Does that mean you'll tell me everything about her?"

"I never said that –" Eriol muttered, pushing him out the door, "You two get back to work – I'll take care of this guy."

"Right." Tomoyo nodded, and poked Chiharu in the shoulder, motioning her to get back to potting new flowers.

"Look – you." Eriol said, turning to face the man who had an eager expression.

Eriol paused. How the hell was he going to get rid of this guy?

"Okay, I'm listening." The reporter cried enthusiastically, whipping out a prepared notebook and a pencil that was tucked behind his ear. Eriol sweat dropped, blinking at the careful notes he was taking.

"The hell! I'm not helping you!" Eriol hollered.

The man's face fell and immediately stopped writing.

Than Eriol had a sudden idea.

"Look – if I give you something on Sakura – would you leave me alone?" He contemplated, praying the man was dumb enough to accept the offer.

"Yes!!!" He agreed heartily, "I'll never bother you again!!!"

_Ehehehe…right in to my trap idiot._

"But I'm only going to tell you one thing – that's the deal."

He nodded eagerly.

_Okay._

Eriol leaned forward. _This wouldn't hurt Sakura if I told him. _

"Yes yes?" He cried impatiently, "I have other places to go, you know."

"Sakura's…" Eriol began.

The man's pencil was poised, his eyes wide. Waiting. Waiting for some juicy new gossip he was going to publish.

Eriol paused dramatically. And he smirked. This guy was real sad.

"Sakura's twentieth birthday is _TOMORROW_!!!" Eriol shouted in to his face and whirled around to leave.

The reporter nearly fell on his butt, "WHAT?! THAT'S IT!!!! HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO WRITE ANYTHING ABOUT HER ON THAT!!!"

"You said one thing!" Eriol shouted behind his back, grinning evilly. _Ehehehe…Eriol you riot. You sly fox. _

"HEY!!! THAT IS SO UNFAIR!!! YOU LIED TO ME!!!"

"IT'S YOUR OWN FAULT!" Eriol laughed gleefully as he started skipping back to the nursery. He finally got rid of that idiotic stalker. _YES!_

"Oh – OH YEAH!!! WELL GUESS WHAT!!! I DON'T HAVE KIDS!!!" The reporter admitted with pride.

Eriol stuck his head out of the door and shouted in reply, "I KNEW THAT ALL ALONG DUMBASS! YOU'RE A HORRIBLE LIAR!"

Eriol's laughing face vanished in to the greenhouse.

The reporter kicked a nearby stone. _Damnit. Her birthday tomorrow?! What kind of a story is that?!?!??!!?!?_

_

* * *

_

"The appointment is in _fifteen minutes _Xiao Lang! Do you plan on being late for your first talk show – or what?!" Hiroki hollered in to the room.

Syaoran looked through his drawers for the tenth time, rummaging through papers. _Where had he put that music he written last night. Where!?_

"Xiao Lang!"

"Damn it Hiroki! I'm coming – wait for me in the car – " Syaoran muttered. Cursing the annoying man who had just slammed the front door. Apparently listening to orders for once.

Syaoran looked under the couch. Nothing. _Where did I put it?! _

Than his eyes fell on a turned over paper on his coffee table. _Aha! Right where I thought I left you sucker. _

Satisfied that he had pinpointed where his music was, he was ready to leave. Than he spotted her vial.

Sakura's vial, sitting side by side with his own vial. He had forgotten about them, ever since the night he ran out in the rain looking for her. Apparently he had not given it back to her yet.

He knelt by the table and peered in to the two jars.

Two lavenders.

Who had survived twelve years of growing up. _I can't believe she kept hers…after all these years…_

Than it struck him. _It's her birthday! Today. _

**_Sakura smiled, choking back tears, "Will you…will you come back to…visit?"_**

**"**_**Maybe. On your twentieth birthday, I'll come back. We'll meet right at school," Than he smiled, "For you, I promise I'll come back."**_

_**

* * *

**  
_

"Happy birthday Sakura!!!!!!!!!!" Tomoyo, Chiharu, and Eriol chorused throwing streamers and confetti all over their shocked friend. Sakura was smiling like never before. Her eyes filled with tears of joy.

"Oh Sakura…" Tomoyo laughed and gave her friend a tight hug, "Stop tearing up like that and blow out the candles."

"Blow them out! Blow them out!" Chiharu cheered, jumping around.

Eriol leaned forward, "Don't forget, you get three wishes."

"Three wishes?" Sakura said, puzzled.

"Right – you always get three wishes for the first year you work here for, " Tomoyo said matter of factly, "It's a Tomoeda Nursery Tradition – don't break it!"

Sakura laughed.

"Blow out the candles! Blow out the candles!" Chiharu continued, leaping in the air.

"I gave her too much coffee…sorry." Eriol admitted guiltily.

"Okay," Sakura drew in a breath and stared very determinedly at the twenty small candles that dotted her cake.

She blew all of them out with one breath.

Everyone cheered loudly, Eriol rubbed her hair playfully. More streamers popped, and Sakura's hair looked like a colorful mess.

"Okay! The wishes!"

"What? I have to tell you guys?" Sakura laughed.

"Please?" Tomoyo pleaded than recited, "It's a Tomoeda Nursery Tradition."

"Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!" Chiharu cried gleefully, jumping up and down on Sakura's shoulder.

"Alright – only because I don't want to break any tradition," Sakura said smiling, "My first wish – is kind of corny."

"That's okay! Tell us anyways!" Tomoyo prodded, "We won't laugh."

"I wished that everyone would live happily ever after – "

Tomoyo poked Sakura in the cheek, "That's not corny! I would wish that!"

"Second Wish! Second Wish!"

"Alright alright, my second wish was that we'd stay friends forever – "

"Oh we will! Friends to the end!" Tomoyo cheered. Eriol nodded enthusiastically and picked up a champagne bottle.

"AHH! NOT NOW!" Tomoyo shrieked as Eriol popped the cork all over the three girls. Everyone screamed and ducked for cover. Surprisingly the spurt backfired and it left a very sticky and wet Eriol

Tomoyo laughed and pointed.

"Whoops." Eriol said blinking. A grin playing on his lips.

"Third wish Sakura! Third wish!" Chiharu shouted.

Sakura patted her apron, "I wished for a big greenhouse!"

"A big greenhouse? What would want to grow in a big greenhouse?" Tomoyo asked.

"Lavenders of course." Sakura stated as if it was obvious.

Tomoyo's eyes grew wide, "You still like lavenders?"

"Of course I still like – " Sakura cut herself off. _like lavenders? What am I saying…_

Eriol noticed the hesitation and helped Sakura out, "Of course she likes to open her presents now, isn't that right Sakura?"

"Right…" She said, her smile faltered, thinking what she was about to just say. Today was her twentieth birthday. Today was the day she had been waiting for twelve years. Not that she minded spending her birthday with all her friends but. She had waited for Syaoran Li all these years. And it felt strange to lose everything right before that.

Eriol pushed the only present on the table in to Sakura's arms, "From the one and only Hiirigizawa!" He exclaimed with a flourish.

Sakura smiled weakly. She could at least pretend to be happy, for her friends. She took off the lid and the bow neatly. Than removed all the extra padding.

It was a cell phone.

Sakura gasped, "Eriol! This is – this is too much." She cried in disbelief.

"Nah, don't say that – this way – if you ever need a ride on my bike – you can give me a call," Eriol teased.

"Thank you!" Sakura said meaning every word. Eriol turned red when Sakura gave him a friendly hug.

Tomoyo and Chiharu linked arms with Sakura. Sakura looked at them both, confused, "We have a gift too you know." Tomoyo said, "We're taking you out shopping! Uh HUH! Beat that Eriol!"

Eriol rubbed the back of his head, "Aw C'mon, you know us guys can't know the perfect gift for girls, cut me some slack." He said in a mocking hurt voice.

Tomoyo and Chiharu giggled.

"But we're only going shopping – you know – after we have some – CAKE!" Tomoyo cried, handing Sakura the knife, "Birthday girl honors!"

Chiharu leaned forward eyes wide, "I want the one with the strawberry."

Sakura felt herself smiling again. What more could she ask for on her birthday. Her caring friends all around her. She didn't need Syaoran. Really. She didn't.

* * *

"Hiroki – I can't go to some stupid social party tonight – I have some things I need to do in the evening – something important." Syoaran Li stated through gritted teeth. He was sitting in the couch on studio for a talk show with Jina. Hiroki patted him on the back like a little kid. 

"The social party is important too – "

"I don't care about some stupid – "

"Everyone off the set! We air in two minutes!" A lady cried, sitting down in front of Syaoran and crossing her legs, "You ready Xiao Lang?"

" – look I'm not going!" Syaoran cried out as Hiroki hastily dashed off the set.

Jina looked at him, puzzled, "Hello? Are you ready or not?"

Syaoran glowered at her, "Yeah – whatever. Let's get this over with."

"Okay…" She muttered, wondering how more unrepentant a man on a talk show could be.

The cameraman signaled his hands wildly in "Five! Four! Three! Two! One! AND ACTION!"

Jina pulled on a very big smile as she faced the rolling camera. Syaoran tried to appear casual.

"Gooood morning viewers! You're watching Jina! And today we have a very special guest here with us – the none other than Xiao Lang! Give him a hand folks!" She breezed through her lines. The crowd of people watching the show live, clapped as the "applause" light went green.

"You go Xiao Lang!" A girl screamed.

Syaoran tried to look happy, but failed.

"Alright, Xiao, let's get started – " Jina said facing the singer with interest, "What made you begin your career as a model singer?"

"Well – I loved to sing when I was young – and I wrote music by myself," Syaoran than paused, thinking.

Jina however, ignored him, and moved on, "We all know that you're one of the youngest hit singers out there right now – how do you feel about all your adoring fans?"

Syaoran blinked at how quickly these questions were coming at him, "I enjoy having so many people like my music – but I really don't appreciate stalkers around my front door."

Syaoran had been serious but Jina burst out laughing as if it was a joke. The whole crowd followed in suit.

"You have quite the sense of humor," Jina said, as her laughing ceased, "Well, I'm sure most of our viewing audiences would like to hear you answer this question – do you or do you not have a romantic relationship with this girl Sakura Kinomoto?"

Syaoran froze. _What the hell?! _ _That had not been on the list of questions. _

"It's okay if you want to keep it private – but could you tell us what sort of relationship you guys have with each other – I mean – with yesterdays' incident and all." Jina pressed, worried that Syaoran might not even reply the question.

"We're just classmates," He blurted out.

* * *

"Hey! It's Xiao Lang! He's on TV!" Chiharu cried, pointing at the many TVs with Xiao Lang's face on the screen through the glass window of the electronics store. 

Sakura couldn't help but stop walking and to stare at the man with amber eyes. In a trance, as if forgetting all that had happened, and she had just met him.

"He's talking about you – Sakura." Tomoyo said, motioning for Sakura to come closer and listen.

"Anything…special? With this girl?" The talk show host was asking. Syaoran looked slightly uncomfortable, but than his eyes brightened suddenly.

Sakura recognized that look whenever Syaoran would get an idea.

Eriol frowned, this wasn't how shopping was suppose to go.

* * *

"Well – today's her birthday." 

Jina's interest sparked, "Have anything planned to celebrate the special occasion?"

"Hey – can I just say something?" Syaoran asked butting in to Jina's question. Jina looked a little taken back but it would be bad if the two started arguing on air, so she simply nodded.

"I just wanted to remind her – about that promise I made a long time ago – and – if she's still interested about it," Syaoran said, his eyes flickered at the camera for a brief moment, capturing Sakura off guard.

* * *

"Hey…what's he talking about…what promise?" Tomoyo asked, looking at Sakura with big gray eyes. 

_He still wants to meet? Even after all that had happened? _

"I've – I've got to go somewhere – I'll see you guys tomorrow at work!" Sakura suddenly cried, and started back where they had been walking.

"Sakura! Where are you going?"

"I – I've got something important to do!" She called back, and waved, "I'm sorry!"

She turned the corner, out of sight.

Tomoyo looked over at Eriol and shrugged, "What's up with her? We won't even be able to see her tomorrow…it's Saturday."

"Syaoran, that's what." Eriol replied blandly.

* * *

"That's was great Xiao! You did it just as I hoped you would – and you kept your cool after that Kinomoto question – fantastic!" Hiroki gleamed as the set closed down and Syaoran was allowed to finally leave. 

Syaoran wasn't listening to a word his manager was babbling and gathered his coat quickly, "Sorry, I'm leaving."

"What?! WE have a social tonight!"

"You can go alone – Sorry, I have things to do." Syaoran said coldly, brushing past the man's shoulder and heading for the door.

"Wait! Xiao Lang! Syaoran!" Hiroki called desperately, "I can't go by myself!!!"

Too late, Syaoran was out the door.

Hiroki slumped in to the couch. _Arrogant kids…_

Than his eyes suddenly grew very wide.

"Wait…did he just – apologize?" Hiroki cried out loud to himself, "Did he just say _Sorry _twice?!"

* * *

Sakura swallowed hard as her elementary school came in view. It hadn't changed a bit since her childhood. A couple students dressed in uniform ran by her, laughing innocently. 

She stepped carefully in to her old classroom. The room was empty. Apparently the students were out playing.

"_**Syaoran is in love with Saakura!" He shouted. The whiteboard had a heart, with Syaoran and Sakura's name inside. The class giggled madly. **_

_**Sakura felt herself turn red, "No! He doesn't!" She went forward and grabbed an eraser, "Take it off!!! Stop it!!"**_

"_**Syaoran is in love with Sakura! Syaoran is in love with Sakura!"**_

_**

* * *

**_

Sakura smiled as she remembered the drawing on the whiteboard. She felt it had just happened yesterday.

Syaoran passed by the nurse room, and couldn't help peering inside. There were two students there. A girl was busy putting a band-aid on a small boy's elbow.

_**Sakura sighed, and lifted the cotton ball in front Syaoran face, "This is going to hurt a little. You're going to have to bear the pain."**_

_**She was treating the many bruises and cuts on Syaoran. Just looking at it, she felt like crying again.**_

"_**Don't worry about it, it's nothing." He said, wincing slightly when she applied the medicine.**_

"_**What are you crying for? You're not the one hurt." Syaoran commented, noticing Sakura tearing up, again.**_

After all this time, she still haunts my memory. Speaking of which.

_Where is she? _

Syaoran looked around, expecting to see the green-eyed girl. Than he peeked inside his old classroom. No one was inside.

Maybe I'm too early…or she forgot…or she just didn't want to come at all.

Than he spotted something on the board.

A heart.

Syaoran and Sakura was written inside. It looked strangely familiar.

"**SYAORAN LOVES SAKURA!!!" The boy suddenly cried, pointing. Syaoran turned red, and marched in front of the boy who jeered tauntingly, "FIRST COMES LOVE!!! THAN COMES KISSSING!!! EWWW!!!" He cried. **

_**Syaoran grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her away from the crowd, "ERASE THAT!" **_

"**NO! UNTIL YOU ADMIT THAT YOUR IN LOVE WITH SAKURA KINOMOTO!!!"**

Syaoran shut his eyes and smiled. _Right, those days. How could I forget. That was the first time I actually got in to a real fight with a guy. And it had been all over her. _

But wait…if that heart's right there. And it's not just in my memory. Than that would mean…

_She was here before…_

_

* * *

_

"_**Nah. I don't want to play." Syaoran said, with a care-free look.**_

"_**You don't like playing?" Sakura sniffed, and wiped the tears with her sleeves.**_

"_**I just don't want to play right now." Syaoran commented, and looked at the flower in her hands, "That's a Lavender."**_

_**Sakura looked down at the purple flower, "This? How do you know?"**_

"_**My family owns a big greenhouse, a lavender is my favorite flower." Syaoran smiled, "Smell it."**_

"_**What?" Sakura said, looking skeptical at the flower.**_

"_**Just smell it. Go on." Syaoran gestured at it. Sakura unwillingly pressed the flower against her nose. Syaoran suddenly pushed the flower in to her face, causing Sakura to scream loudly. **_

"_**Syaoran Li!!!" She cried, and proceeded to chase him around playfully around the bush. Syaoran laughed loudly.**_

Sakura knelt sadly down in front of the same corner that she had sat, watching Syaoran play basketball. She could almost see them as little kids, casing each other around. There was still a lavender bush there. But now it had grown. Sakura touched the purple flowers softly. Wishing it had been 12 years ago…when Syaoran was still the same…

"_Hey _you…"

Sakura jumped to her feet, and turned her head to stare dead on in to an intense amber gaze. She froze.

"Sy- Syaoran?" She muttered. Their eyes locked.

The man ruffled the back of his hair and looked at her with a strange expression, "Funny – you're the only one who calls me by that name now."


	5. Reunited?

**AN: **_I am so shocked that I got so many replies, but it's great, because I was encouraged to do my next chapter. So much love to you guys! S2!_

_

* * *

_

**Lavender V **

**Reunited?**

**

* * *

**

The two stared at each other in a heavy silence. Syaoran let his hand drop to his side. Sakura could not stop looking at him, fearing that she would awake from a dream. Or discover it was a nightmare.

"So, you want to walk?" Syaoran said suddenly.

"Hey! It's Xiao Lang!"

"You're right!" The students apparently were back from break, and pointing fingers at Syaoran with an excited look, "It really is Xiao Lang! Whose that girl he's with!"

Sakura looked at him nervously.

Syaoran raised his eyes up at the sky as if asking the heaven why on earth his fate was so twisted and it seemed he had stalkers every where.

"C'mon – let's go some place else," Syaoran said, as the students all gathered in the hallway jeering and howling like crazy. Syaoran grabbed Sakura by the wrist and in a half jog, they raced off the school campus.

Sakura was very aware that he was holding on to her, and the feeling was all to unfamiliar.

The kids chased after them enthusiastically, thinking it was some game.

"Syaoran – their following us," Sakura gasped, realizing how fast they'd been running.

He said nothing but after they rounded a corner, the kids disappeared.

Sakura was out of breath and her heart was in a panic. Syaoran suddenly whirled around seeing her bent over, panting heavily.

"Shit – I forgot – you can't run that hard," Syaoran swore, putting his hands on his hips, silently scolding himself, "Are you alright?"

There was definitely a worried tone in his voice now.

"Sakura!" He pressed, leaning down. Sakura calmed. Being close to him was enough to endure the pain.

"I'm fine – " She breathed, taking a couple last deep breaths.

Syaoran sighed and stood up, "I'm relieved – not exactly the best birthday gift if you end up in the hospital because of me – like last time."

"You remember." Sakura said, standing straight, awkwardly facing him. They were in an alleyway. Near the bay. She could hear the water, and smell the salty wind.

"I remember – a lot of things," Syaoran restrained himself from saying _everything_.

"Syaoran…" Sakura said, she looked at him with pleading eyes, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Syaoran spat out a bit too harshly and immediately restrained himself, "I mean – for what."

"For saying those things about you – I'm – I'm really not like that,"

Syaoran felt an enormous relief wash over him. Than nearly had to slap himself from falling for it again. What if it was some sort of trick?

"Let's not talk here – c'mon," Syaoran urged, he wrapped his fingers around her hand and led her out of the alley way. This time, he made sure they were walking.

* * *

The two found a place to sit, their legs dangling over the bay. The sea waters lapping below, and the wind was strong. Blowing their hair back and piercing their skin.

"So you work at Tomoeda?" Syaoran asked, wanting to start a conversation. After twelve years, they felt like strangers again.

"Yeah – and you – you're a singer now," Sakura turned towards him, smiling, "I never thought you'd become a famous star."

Syaoran stared at his hands, "Really."

"So…what happened?" Sakura asked a bit hesitantly.

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked quizzily, and stared off at the sea.

"I mean, what happened after you left Japan?"

"Oh," Syaoran sighed and leaned back, "I don't know, I met Hiroki, and we ended working together…"

Than he turned on her, "What about you?"

"There's nothing really…interesting about my life." Sakura blushed and looked away.

"Is your boyfriend treating you okay?" Syaoran said stiffly.

Sakura started and nearly lost her balance, "What boyfriend?"

"The one who gives you rides home," Syaoran added, his mouth still set in a thin line.

"E-Eriol? He's my boss! We're not together!" Sakura cried, realizing who Syaoran was talking about. _How did he know that I got rides home from him. Why did he think we were together! No!_

He said nothing.

"What about you? Do you have anyone…special?" Sakura asked. _There, I said it. _

"Girlfriends?"

"Yeah, I guess," Sakura blinked and found her shoes all of a sudden so fascinating. Woa, she never knew she had _white _laces.

"My girlfriend's back in Hong Kong," Syaoran replied smoothly and planted both palms to his side.

_What? He - what! _Sakura fought back the urge to scream at him. _He never cared...He never came back to Japan for me...He fooled you! He tricked you! _

"Speaking of which…I need to go…I have a meeting with – in half an hour, Hiroki will go crazy if I don't show up," Syaoran said suddenly, after he checked his watch. Than with a graceful heave, he jumped off the ledge on to the solid pavement behind him. Sakura turned to watch him.

"Well – happy birthday Sakura, I'll see you around." He waved casually, and left.

He waved.

As if he was just waving to an ordinary classmate.

Someone he just had an ordinary conversation with.

Whom they shared an ordinary reunion.

Nothing special.

Nothing special at all.

Sakura felt shattered.

* * *

"He's late," Syaoran hissed angrily, leaning back in his chair, glaring at Hiroki. The stressed manager was nervously playing with his hands and sweating like a pig.

"Sorry Xiao, I don't know – he's an important man…traffic? Maybe he's sick…don't worry – he'll come…" Hiroki grumbled under his breath, hastily twisting his palms together.

"He's _still _late," Syaoran repeated in a very sour mood.

"Maybe, you're just early," A man suddenly said.

Hiroki leaped to his feet and burst out crying, "Yue! So nice of you to join us! We have your papers and samples ready! Xiao Lang has just been dying to meet you since we got to Japan! You are such the model for – "

Yue held up a hand. Syaoran rubbed his temple, refusing to stare at the man who settled himself in to his own chair.

But how could he not look? He was _the singer _of Japan. He was all over. He was _everything. _And not only that. _He wrote all of his songs. And they were all hits. _Syaoran needed this. He needed to get his own voice through. He didn't just want to be a singer. He wanted to write out his own voice, like Yue.

His hair was white that ran down his back. And he had a piercing gaze that was now looking through Syaoran's head. He scowled at him.

"Xiao – xiao!" Hiroki snapped, bolting Syaoran from his thoughts.

"What." He replied harshly.

"The samples!" Hiroki cried as if it was obvious and nudged Syaoran sharply in the shoulder. Than Hiroki turned to face Yue with a gleaming smile, "Sorry, Xiao Lang's been really busy lately…knowing how fast his fame is rising these days."

"We'll decide his fame after I hear his music," Yue said coolly that sent chills down Syaoran's back.

Syaoran fished the cd out of his pocket and handed it to a man beside him, who instantly swept over to a nearby player and stuck it in.

During the whole time, Yue and Syaoran had locked eyes. Both glaring. Wondering who was going to back down first. No way in hell was Syaoran losing to anybody.

His song played. The one he had been working on since the day of the concert. It was played on the piano. It had many running sixteenth notes and swells of dynamics and a crystal clear melody. Syaoran had worked hard on this. Finding the exact notes, the exact pitch. It had been a painstakingly long task. He felt every bit of glory as his song played on that small machine.

Yue was listening. Syaoran could tell. He was listening, hard.

_What is he thinking?_

Hiroki in the mean while, was busy playing with his hands again, nervously looking from Xiao to Yue. Two very cold singers who were battling over superiority. Hiroki felt the need to leave.

The song went on. But Yue seemed to have made up his mind and his eyes flew at Syaoran, piercing them, "I've heard enough."

Was all he said. Than the tall man rose from his seat, and literally, deserted the room.

Hiroki jumped from his seat and called after him, "Was it good? Did it pass? Are we in? What did you think?"

Syaoran was furious. _What the hell is he doing! He didn't tell me anything about it at all! _

Syaoran slammed his palm on to his table and ran out the door, finding the back of the white-haired man walking away. Without a care in the world. Syaoran caught up to him and stopped his path.

"What is the meaning of this? Aren't you going to tell me what you thought of it?" Syaoran snapped, feeling like hell.

"I don't need to say anything." Came the cool reply.

"Oh is that right, well, I don't care if your some famous star or some homeless man out on the streets, I want to know what you think of my music," Syaoran demanded, pointing to his own chest.

Yue stared down at him, his expression completely empty, "You're music isn't worth my time, it means nothing, there is no emotion, you have _nothing in it_, it's nothing but _notes_."

Syaoran felt a million poisonous darts had just rained in to his skin. _What! _

"What do you mean! What's wrong with it!" Syaoran hissed, blocking his path and scowling at him with intense hatred.

"You need to think of a cherished memory, a special person, a certain emotion when you write music, or put notes on paper- when you wrote – this – _music _– you had nothing, when you wrote this, you felt nothing, so the music becomes, nothing, end of story," Yue said evenly and raised his eyebrows, "I would like to get through now boy, I don't have time to waste on people like you."

Syaoran growled darkly, but Hiroki had found the two.

"Xiao Lang," He said timidly,"Let the man go,"

Syaoran unwilling stepped slightly to the side so the tall man had to squeeze through him and the wall to continue his way. Syaoran was still glaring down his back.

That bastard… 

"Xiao, get a grip!" Hiroki was pleading, shaking him.

Syaoran's mind was thinking about nothing else. _Damn him to fucking hell. I don't need anything to write music. Nothing, nobody._

_

* * *

_

_**Whose the lucky Birthday Girl? **_

_Kero_

_Yesterday, our one and only Xiao Lang, was spotted near Queenside Elementary. And he was not alone. Witnesses reported that he was with a certain girl, and that they ran off together, holding hands. So who is this girl? None other than Kinomoto Sakura, the same girl who had driven fans completely crazy just a couple days ago. And we have discovered that yesterday just happened to be her 20th Birthday. So what was Xiao Lang doing with Kinomoto? Making out? Sharing romance? Whatever it is, Kinomoto was one lucky Birthday Girl if she caught Xiao Lang's eye._

Sakura gasped as her eyes skimmed the article.

_Not again!_

_Touya, oh no. _

"Hey Sakura,"

Sakura let out a stifled scream and slammed her palm across the headlines. It was only Eriol. She relaxed, "You – you scared me."

"Oookay," Eriol said, rubbing his head, "How was your birthday – yesterday."

"My birthday?" Sakura repeated, suddenly lost for words, "It was – it was – "

_"Well - Happy Birthday Sakura, I'll see you around."  
_

"It was fine," Sakura finished, looking away, feeling even more depressed. She didn't want to be reminded of Syaoran anymore.

"Well – I thought," Eriol said as he sat down in front of Sakura, and stared, "Since we didn't get enough time together last night, I was thinking of taking you to a flower exhibit tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, well?"

"I – I'm not sure…" Sakura broke off, wondering if she was ever going to be in the mood to do something fun.

Eriol was not about to give up, "Here, take this, it's at seven – I'll wait." He handed her a ticket and left the greenhouse. Tomoyo looked up, puzzled.

"What was that about Sakura?"

Sakura stared at the ticket in her hands, than had an idea, "Tomoyo – will you do me a favor?"

"What is it?" Tomoyo said at Sakura's side and leaned down.

"Take this and meet Eriol at seven, I can't go, I have…things to do." Sakura handed Tomoyo the ticket.

Tomoyo frowned slightly, "But he wants to take you – not me."

Sakura groaned and stood, being a bit shorter than Tomoyo, "He gave it to me, I'm giving it to you – it's the same thing, please?"

She gave her the eyes.

Tomoyo sighed, "Okay, but it's only because you're my best friend."

"Right," Sakura gave her a hug, "I'm going to go now, tell Eriol I'm taking an early leave."

"Okay, be careful Sakura – and feel better – alright?" Tomoyo waved bye and Sakura nodded. _I need time to think. No. I need to stop thinking about Syaoran Li._

_

* * *

_

_Damnit _

Syaoran was lost.

Completely lost.

_Where the fuck is this place? I swear I parked somewhere here._

The morning after Sakura and Yue, Syaoran had disappeared from his apartment and took a day off, fully against Hiroki's schedule. He had missed at least five talk shows by now. The sun had set, and it was chilly and pitch dark out. By the lack of street lights, Syaoran assumed he was in a nearby alleyway.

Not that he cared. By all means, he thought he was a failure. _A failure. _He had stayed up all night, thinking about his music, tearing apart his pieces, and just slamming away on his keyboard, trying to figure out what was wrong with what he wrote. Hiroki had wisely left him alone.

He couldn't care. Why would he care?

Yue wasn't anybody important.

What would he know about music? His music.

_Shit. I am lost. _

Syaoran rounded another unfamiliar corner. He saw figures standing in the narrow alley space.

"What have we here? A visitor?" One of them snickered, nearing a lone light bulb on the red brick walls. It was a tall boy, with slicked back hair, and trashy street clothes. His friends weren't that much better. They all had gelled hair, and jeans that were ripped in half. Shirts that were torn at the sleeves.

One of them laughed hollowly, "A pretty boy," He said, enunciating the Ts, "I think he needs a makeover."

"I want to rip that good looking face apart." The other said, Syaoran noted they were all street built. Muscles, all brawn, no brain.

Not exactly the smartest place to be lost in.

He thought the best thing to do was to keep his mouth shut. But with ever insult, his anger rose. He had already been trashed enough by Yue, he didn't need to take this.

Next thing he knew, he was pinned to a nearby wall. The first boy, he assumed, their leader, was rummaging through his pockets. He found his wallet.

"Let's find out who you are eh? Canner, check this!" He threw the wallet at a boy next to the light who flipped it open expertly. His eyes grew noticeably wider and looked up, grinning.

"We've got ourselves a celebrity, Xiao Lang."

"_Xiao Lang_?" The man in front of his spat, showing complete disgust. Syaoran felt the grip on his collar tighten, and cursed that he hadn't done something about it and letting himself get pinned.

_This Yue shit…I'm getting fucking careless. _

"You've got a pretty face, boy," One of them snickered, threatening to choke him, "No wonder you bastards get rich."

Syaoran felt the words sink in slowly. Was that all he was? Someone who looked good, was that why he was famous? Did no one care about his music? His work? Nobody?

"Let's see what the public will think of Xiao Lang, once we're done with you," The one in his face said smoothly, beckoning for his men to come closer. Too late. The next split second, two men were on the floor, and Syaoran had lost it.

He jump kicked the man dubbed "Canner" And he slammed his head in to a garbage can, crumpling to the ground in a messy heap.

"Son of a bitch!" The leader of the gang swore and backed away from him, "Shit."

He bolted, deserting his comrades who were all unconscious. Syaoran noticed a sharp sting of pain on his right hand. It was bleeding. _Must've been when I knocked the first two out…I'm out of shape…I normally don't get hurt so damn easily. _

He shook out his wrist and stepped over Canner's body, feeling a bit more tensed up than usual. Once he turned another corner, he finally found familiar ground. His car was only two blocks away.

He had a bleeding hand as a compensation for his anger. But it was worth it; he felt he had taken some of his heat out on Yue. On everybody. And now he felt like going home.

* * *

Sakura didn't know where she was going when the first raindrops started falling to the ground. She knew she just wanted to walk for the entire night, and find a way to get rid of this nagging feeling in the back of her mind. The nagging feeling of a long awaited birthday that had ended up being, nothing at all.

_No stop, stop it. You're killing yourself. _

Sakura kicked a puddle, and realized she was already soaked. The weather was so unpredictable these days.

Her socks were wet now, and she didn't bring an umbrella.

That was the least on her mind, she wouldn't care less if she died of pneumonia, she was going to die anyways. Her stupid sickness.

Who would come if she died anyways?

Eriol maybe.

Tomoyo.

Chiharu?

Syao -

Sakura shuddered, _what am I thinking? Stop doing this. _

Why am I doing this? 

She spotted one of Xiao Lang's posters hanging loosely due to wetness on a window pane. Sakrua had a longing to touch his face, the real Syaoran's face. She walked up to the poster, and placed a hand on it. It was icy cold.

Like him…he was never this…distant… 

Sakura fought to keep tears back. _What happened? What happened to him!_

_

* * *

_

Syaoran cursed at his bad luck as he realized the traffic light had broken and the workers were busy fixing it. _Don't they realize their holding half of the city up! Idiots! _

Syaoran's eyes wandered the streets, searching for perhaps a detour. Than he saw a familiar backside of a girl. Her hand was placed against a poster. She looked so…

His eyes narrowed. _Is that? …what the hell is she doing in the rain!_

_

* * *

_

Sakura didn't exactly notice when or how the rain suddenly stopped. Or when someone had stepped up behind her. She only realized it was much warmer.

"You're going to catch a cold," A voice stated matter-of-factly.

Sakura sniffed, thinking the voice was only part of her imagination.

Syaoran frowned and pulled at her wrist, "Sakura, what are you doing?"

She caught her breath and whirled around to find deep entrancing eyes, "You! When – when did you?" Sakura gasped, "I was - I was just – you're poster – it was falling off – I."

"Is that what you were doing?" Syaoran humored. Sakura fought to catch her words. She couldn't talk right, why was she acting like this? _I should hate him! _

Sakura looked away, ashamed, "What are you doing here?" She said miserably.

"Let's see, you're standing in the rain, and I have an umbrella."

"Aren't you worried they might see us together again?"

"No, I'm not afraid of the public…I would care less."

Sakura shut her eyes and took a step away from his umbrella.

"Sakura!" Syaoran stayed with her as she made her way to the curb, "What are you doing!"

"Stay away!" She cried, now crying, she couldn't stop herself anymore, she didn't want him there. She was trying to forget him! Why did he have to be everywhere?

"Why?" He scowled, "You're wet, it'll be my responsibility if you catch a cold, I have a car close by, stop being stubborn!"

Sakura bit back a sob, and held herself.

Syaoran let out a frustrated groan as he watched the girl shivering there. _What is she trying to prove! _

"Sakura…" He pleaded. A part of his tone hit Sakura fiercely. _He was worried. _

She felt a heavy coat descend on her shoulders. Syaoran was busy pulling the sleeves across her chest so his leather jacket would stay on.

"If you're not going to move, neither am I," He gritted with clenched teeth. To convince her, folded his arms the best he could, still lifting the umbrella up high over Sakura's head. She noticed that he was still very much in the rain.

Sakura let out a little smirk, it was just the same as always. He was always just as stubborn as she was.

The next part she remembered as well. She would always give in.

"Okay," She said softly, "Just because I don't want you getting sick."

He lifted the corners of his mouth just slightly, "Knew you'd see it my way."

* * *

_Where is she? _Eriol checked his watch.

7:30

She was never usually late for anything so what happened?

Oh no, what if she was sick?

Or kidnapped?

Or maybe she got lost?

Eriol shook his head. _She's not that stupid, idiot. _

"Eriol! Eriol!"

See? She's coming now, you're just over-stressed over- worked… 

Eriol turned to meet a cheerful dark-haired girl.

"Um – " He started, biting back his original shock, "Where's Sakura?"

* * *

Syaoran fumbled around with his keys, and swore at his bleeding hand for not responding.

"You're hurt!" Sakura realized, staring at him, "What did you do to it?"

"Nothing!" Syaoran replied hotly, "I – fell."

"You did not fall," Sakura argued, taking his house keys away and fitting them properly in to the door. The handle turned and it swung open. Syaoran, muttering under his breath, entered his apartment after Sakura.

"Where's your first aid?" Sakura asked, searching his room as if it was her own.

Syaoran found himself frowning even more as he retorted, "I don't have one."

"You what?" Sakura whirled on her heels to face him, "Okay – where can I find one?"

Syaoran shrugged and dropped down on to his sofa, hissing when his hand hit the table accidentally.

Sakura bit her lip, "Forget it, I'll ask the office – stay here – and don't move it!"

Grumbling loudly about his "carelessness" she left the room and descended down the stairs.

Syaoran sighed, _was it a great idea to bring her along? _

I still have Hiroki to deal with… 

Syaoran sighed again, leaning back in his couch and cupping his free hand over his forehead, massaging the massive headache he was getting.

Sakura returned quicker than he thought humanly possible, and in one hand, she had an enormous roll of bandage and a kit in the other.

She knelt in front of him and took his palm gently.

"Doesn't this feel all too familiar?" She commented stiffly, unrolling the bandages.

Syaoran's head pulsed as he fought to respond, "I remember- "

**_Syaoran grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her away from the crowd, "ERASE THAT!"_**

****

**_"NO! UNTIL YOU ADMIT THAT YOUR IN LOVE WITH SAKURA KINOMOTO!"_**

**_ Syaoran snapped, he grabbed the boy with both hands and pushed him to the floor. _**

**_"Fight! Fight!"_**

**_"No! Syaoran!" Sakura screamed, and tried to pull him off the boy. _**

**_"Fight Fight!" The crowd cheered enthusiastically. The boys were punching each other now, rolling on the floor._**

"Did you get in to a fight again," Sakura stated rather than questioned. An annoyed expression on her face.

Syaoran decided best not to say anything. He winced as the bandage rolled across his wound and between his thumb and index finger, under his palm, and over his wound again.

"Eriol gets pricked a lot by thorns, so I'm used to doing this," She commented. No wonder she was so gentle about it.

"You're boyfriend?" Syaoran mouthed feeling bitter.

Sakura stopped rolling and looked at him, her eyes were fierce, "He's not my boyfriend."

After that, Syaoran noticed she started pulling a bit tighter on the bandages.

"There," She said huffily, as she taped the end in place, "Don't do anything else to it, or it'll split open, and you might die of blood loss."

Syaoran looked at her, "You're joking."

She shrugged, than got to her feet.

Immediately she sensed something wrong. Everything was swirling around, and the floor was swaying underneath her. _What's going on? _Sakura fought to stay upright, and placed a hand on the sofa arm to steady herself.

The floor was becoming the ceiling; the ceiling was becoming the floor. The walls were everywhere. _I forgot to take my medicine this morning! _Sakura caught her self as she nearly toppled forward. _Shit. _

Syaoran stood up, noticing that Sakura wasn't feeling quite well.

" – you okay?" He asked watching the girl hold her head, than she completely lost her balance and plumeted to the floor, "Sakura !"

Syaoran caught her just in time and hissed out in pain as he had had to use both hands to stop her from hitting the ground.

"_Sakura!_"

No response. He checked her pulse, it was still going, slowly, but it was there. Syaoran let out a relieved breath. _Damnit, don't scare me like that. _

He stretched out his legs from underneath him and managed to put her on the sofa. Than he folded his legs next to the sofa and wondered what to do.

He stared at her for a while.

She _had _changed.

She was…actually rather beautiful.

The way her hair descended on her soft cheeks, it was…entrancing.

Syaoran reached out a finger to brush the hair out of her eyes when a noise startled him.

What was that? 

It wasn't his cell phone…

So?

It was coming from her bag.

Syaoran blinked. What he had learned during the ages of growing up. _Never look through a girl's purse. NEVER. _

But…

She wasn't looking? Heck, she was unconscious.

What if it was important?

Syaoran took her bag and unzipped it, fearing for its contents, but he found the vibrating cell phone with ease.

"Hello?" He said coolly.

A very confused voice answered on the other end, "Hello? Is Sakura there?"

"She's…kind of busy – right now," Syaoran said, glancing back at the girl on the sofa. He noticed that her chest was falling in a more regular pattern. Well, she _was busy. _

Than he added as an afterthought, "Who are you?"

"Eriol – ah – Eriol Hiirigizawa – " Than there was a pause, the voice sounded mildly braver, "Who are _you_?"

* * *

_**Another Cliffie, wow I AM evil! Muahahahahahaha. **_


	6. A Missing Special Someone

**before you read this. i have to apologize. **

**oh god I am SO SORRY. sob sob. **

**

* * *

**

**Lavender**

**A missing special Someone**

**

* * *

**

Syaoran hesitated to reply, "I'm…"

Sakura, at the moment, decided to open her eyes, than shut them almost instantly in pain, "It hurts…"

"Is that Sakura?"

"Um no – it's just – my radio." Syoaran decided it best to cool his jets and simply maneuver away from this name situation. He didn't need to know who he was.

"Look – I don't know who you are – but I don't like the fact that you're not telling me where Sakura is and why she is – for all I know – you could've kidnapped her!"

"_Eriol_!" Entered another voice.

"I'm serious Tomoyo…"

"_You _look – I haven't done anything to Sakura and I don't plan on doing anything to her – so if you could just let me take care of her…"

" – take care of her! What's wrong with her! Did you do anything to her?"

Someone gasped in the background.

Syaoran rolled his eyes, "No – she's perfectly healthy and we're just playing doctor – _are you stupid_! Of course she's not!"

"_What's going on!_" A different voice hissed menacingly in to the receiver. Syaoran glared at it.

"Who are you?"

"I should be asking the same question – I don't know why you're with Sakura – but I won't let you get away with hurting her!"

"_I'm. Taking. Care. Of. Her._" Syaoran spat.

"Than tell me who you are, I can understand perfect English you don't need to mock me." The voice demanded.

"It's none of your god damn business – you can ask Sakura when she's perfectly fine tomorrow! Who are you two anyways! Her parents!"

"No. We're just her friends, surely someone so cold as you wouldn't understand what the hell that is," The icy voice snapped back.

That hit Syaoran in the head like a ton of bricks, "_You don't know anything about me_."

"Then enlighten me – " The voice said coolly back. Sakura moaned in the background. Syaoran had to look at her.

She rolled over. Syaoran worried she might roll herself off the sofa. Syaoran hung up. Before Sakura could fully regain full consciousness, he stuffed the phone back in her bag and hastily zipped it shut.

Syaoran helped the girl sit upright, "You fainted…" He explained, in case she got the wrong impression.

She glanced at him and winced, "I need to get home…Touya…"

"I'll drive," Syaoran offered. Sakura managed a weak smile and decided best not to argue.

Gripping the edges of the sofa, she started to stand. She merely stood half way on her knees, when something sharp stabbed her inside. She cried out in shock and slumped back in to the cushions, "That wasn't a good idea…"

Than almost apologetically she said, "Maybe…I should stay for a while…"

"I'll get you a glass of water." He left the room.

Sakura relaxed herself and the phase of pain ceased. She knew it would come back if she didn't take her medication. After the pain temporarily vanished, she looked around the room to distract herself.

For a celebrity…he was pretty organized.

Than her eyes laid upon a couple of his cds next to the couch. _I never even listened to his songs…_Sakura looked around and found the cd player right besides her. She quickly inserted the disc in and pressed play.

The piano melody floored the room, Sakura breathed. _It's pretty…but it sounds sad…_

Syaoran suddenly walked in to the room, carrying a glass of water that was only half-filled, his face had twisted in to a familiar scowl, "Turn that off – I don't want to listen to it."

Sakura looked up, "What's wrong with it?"

"Just turn it off – it's trash," Syaoran snapped angrily.

"I don't think it's bad." Sakura retorted.

"What would you know about music." Syaoran growled, bristling.

Sakura glared at him, "At least I'm not narrow-minded, why did you change so much Syaoran, you were never so cold."

_Cold. _

Syaoran stared at her for a few seconds. It seemed like an eternity. He was trying to find the time of life when he wasn't so cold. And for some strange reason, he could only picture her in his head. _Damnit._

"Your water." He said shortly, thrusting the glass in her face. She took it gingerly and took a great mouthful.

It felt good to have the liquid run down her throat. It relaxed her heart. But water was only a small help, she needed her medicine.

"Thank you." She whispered quietly, he didn't seem to notice, or if he did, just ignored it, "What's wrong Syaoran?"

"Why do you call me that?" He said.

"Isn't that your name?" Sakura coughed.

"Nobody calls me that anymore."

Silence.

"But what's wrong…it's been twelve years…I'm sure you had so much things that happened in your life."

Syaoran looked over at her and silenced the girl almost instantly, "You don't want to know what happened."

"Okay…but why don't you like your music?"

"Yue – " Syaoran began.

"Yue? That famous – "

"Forget him – he thought my music was shit."

"Why!" Sakura gasped, sitting up right, "What's wrong with it?"

"He said there wasn't any emotion that I wasn't thinking about a special person when I wrote it." Syaoran spat, sitting in a chair besides Sakura and rubbed his head.

"Well…that's easy – just think of a special person and – "

"All the people that were close to me are dead." Syaoran said simply and the room fell silent.

Sakura took a deep breath.

Maybe this was why he had closed up so much…

So many things had happened during the time he was away…how could _I possible understand what's going on in his head right now? _

Sakura tried to smile, "Then – then why don't you try and find another special someone."

Syaoran snapped his head up at her and they shared a long look.

"It's late Sakura – should I drive you home?"

Sakura was jolted rudely from her thoughts and stared at the clock.

_11:36 _

_Oh god…Touya's probably going absolutely insane. _

"Yes thank you." Sakura got up carefully and took a step forward. It was still dizzying to walk but she could manage getting herself home.

* * *

"I think this is yours…" Syaoran said uneasily. 

"Hm?" Sakura looked over the car to see a vial presented in her face. Her vial.

"I'm giving it back to you," Syaoran explained.

Sakura took the vial gently and smiled up at the man warmly, "Thank you for helping me Syaoran."

He only grunted as a response and looked away.

Sakura left the car gingerly and shut the door, "I'll see you Syaoran…"

"Yeah…sure…whatever…"

Sakura watched sadly as Syaoran refused to meet her eyes before turning around and starting up the stairs.

Syaoran only willed himself to look in her direction once he was sure she wasn't looking at him. He just couldn't look at her when she was staring at him. Her eyes were chilling. She caught him and smiled at him just as she opened the door.

Syaoran's mouth went suddenly dry and looked at his hands.

_Her smile hadn't changed one bit…all these years…_

* * *

Sakura smiled to herself as she worked with her lavenders. 

Tomoyo waltzed by, "Sakura…you seem really happy today."

"It's a beautiful morning…why shouldn't I be happy?"

"Well with the fact that Eriol and I were worrying our butts off last night."

Sakura whirled around and almost dropped her pliers, "Why? What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Some guy picked up your cell phone and didn't let us talk with you – Eriol was going nuts." Tomoyo said.

"What?"

Oh no…did my cell ring… 

_Syaoran must've picked it up. _

"Tomoyo…" Sakura hissed, lowering her voice, "That was Syaoran."

Tomoyo's eyes bulged, "You mean Xiao Lang, Sakura! What were you doing with that scum bag?"

"_Tomoyo! _We – "

"Good morning Sakura." Eriol came through the doors shooting her a very forced smile, "How was last night?"

"Great Eriol…" Sakura said nervously as she placed the pliers down and folded her arms in front of her. Tomoyo looked at both of them and bit her lip.

"I'll be outside…haha helping Chiharu…yeah...okay…" Tomoyo skipped out of the green house and could be heard yelling, "CHIHARU WHERE ARE YOU?"

Eriol purposely ignored Sakura and went straight to his computer desk and sat promptly down.

Sakura eyed him uneasily, "E-Eriol? About last night…"

"Yeah – about last night Sakura – who was that that picked up your phone anyways? And Don't lie and say it was your brother – because I called home and he was there." Eriol accused, turning to look at her.

Sakura froze. What should she say?

"Sorry – I don't have time for an explanation – I've got more important things to do." Eriol finished for her and picked up a phone, dialed a random number and turned in his chair until his back faced her.

Sakura sighed deeply. Now Eriol was mad at her.

She turned towards her lavenders and pulled out a weed half-heartily.

_So much for a beautiful morning._

* * *

**i apologize for the chapter. **

**it's insanely short and horrible...**

**it'll NEVER happen again.**


	7. inspiration

_I know you've all been waiting very, I mean incredibly patient for this chapter, so I won't prolong your wait with a long excuse up here. But I'll explain myself down below so enjoy your reading and I'll see you at the bottom._

* * *

**Inspiration VII**

**

* * *

**

"Morning Eriol!"

The boy grunted behind his stack of papers.

Tomoyo stopped in her tracks and looked at the messy table, "You alright?"

"Fine."

The girl set down her tray of newly soiled pots and leaned her elbows on the mahogany desk, "A lot of work today?"

"We have a lot of work everyday."

Tomoyo sighed deeply, "You've been like this all week you know."

"Like what? This. What do you mean by this?" Eriol looked across the table at Tomoyo's dark eyes.

"Like _that_. Like 'nuh nuh neeh I'm a grouchy grouchy man, I'm grumpy all the time!'" Tomoyo went on muttering just as Chiharu popped through the door.

"Wow! I got here before Sakura!" The girl exclaimed and whipped her headband from the hook, "Whacha doing Tomoyo? What's wrong with your face?"

Tomoyo uncurled her lower lip from her mock impression of Eriol and straightened up, "Oh nothing…hey…Chiharu…haven't you noticed that Sakura's been happier lately?"

"Huh?"

"I mean she's been _SMILING _a lot lately hasn't she?" Tomoyo said loudly, crossed the room and flung an arm across Chiharu's shoulders.

"Huh?"

"Oh play along okay?" The dark haired girl muttered.

"Oooh! Oh Oh! YEAH!" Chiharu put a finger to her lip in a thoughtful impression, "Come to think of it, she'sbeen cheerful lately."

"Ever since _last week_!" Tomoyo proclaimed even louder.

The two girls stopped shouting to spare their manager a look. Eriol had hid himself behind a pile of papers, but he didn't appear to be reading.

Tomoyo plowed on, "Aren't we happy for her Chiharu? It seems Sakura's finally not depressed! Aren't we happy for our friend? Hm?"

Chiharu nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah Yeah! We're _HAPPY _for Sakura!"

"Happy for me? What, why?"

Chiharu landed on the floor and the pots went flying, "Good morning Sakura!"

Eriol looked up from his random pile of papers to see Sakura staring at Chiharu who was on the floor and a very very cheerful Tomoyo.

"Um…what's going on? Guys?"

Tomoyo laughed nervously and pulled Sakura towards the center of the room, "Oh nothing! Just celebrating our friendship of course! And how _happy _we are for one another!"

"…happy? What are we happy for?"

"We're happy because _you're _happy," continued Tomoyo, putting two hands on Sakura's tense shoulders, she glared at Eriol who cringed, "_aren't we Mister Hiirigizawa?_"

Chiharu popped up from the floor, "We're happy right?"

Silence.

"Um…I still don't get what you guys are doing…are we having a party today? Did I miss something? I'm sorry that I was late but – "

"Never mind, just get to the delivery…" Eriol said and disappeared behind his work once more.

"Grouch." Tomoyo muttered and dropped her hands from Sakura's shoulders.

"Happy!" exclaimed Chiharu.

Tomoyo stalked out of the greenhouse waving an arm out irritably, "Don't let me hear that words again."

Sakura looked around the greenhouse and shrugged uncertainly, "Okay…whatever it is I'm sure we're all…very happy."

Eriol grunted behind his desk.

_Happy my ass. _

"Hey Sakura…today we get our evening off, how about we go down to a café?" Tomoyo said as the two girls loaded the new flowers on to the truck outside.

"I'm sorry Tomoyo, I can't, Touya's been at the edge of his seat all week."

The dark haired girl sighed, "Are you seeing that Syaoran?"

"What?" Sakura jerked up in surprise, "What? I'm – I didn't – When did I - I haven't seen him since last week!"

"Don't get so nervous – I won't tell Eriol." Tomoyo turned towards the wide-eyed girl and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, "But just be careful okay? You may know Syaoran, but this is Xiao Lang we're talking about…he's…not the nice guy you knew…"

Sakura brushed her hand off and turned back towards the truck, "I know Tomoyo…but I told you...I haven't seen him in a week."

"You can't just go off with him! He's like stranger now – a lot can happen in – "

"I know Tomoyo…"

"Sakura – "

"I get it, don't worry about me," Sakura's sudden movement startled Tomoyo, "I'll be careful, don't worry."

Tomoyo sighed, "Alright…I trust you…"

The lavender haired girl watched as a humming Sakura skipped back towards the greenhouse.

"It's him I don't trust…"

* * *

"I'm telling you, Xiao Lang! I'm telling you right now!" Hiroki cried, shaking a very stiff finger in front of Syaoran's bored expression, "This is _not _a good idea! _Not _a good idea at all! Do you have any idea what this could do to your career? You're job? Your future? _MY _future? Do you have any idea how many shows and opportunities you've missed this past week? Do you have any – "

"Yes I have an idea – just leave me alone okay?" Syaoran waved Hiroki's hand away. He quickly settled back in his seat and whipped a couple more notes on his blank music sheet. _Inspiration…inspiration…_

_Sakura…_

"I don't understand what you _see _in that wretched girl!" Hiroki plowed on, now waving his hands in the air like a fanatical lunatic, "She's not famous, and not very pretty, she's the cause of all this riffraff in magazines! Its because of _her that _I'm buried in neck deep with all these nosy reporters!"

Syaoran started playing on the keyboard, loudly.

_What does Hiroki know…_

_Sakura and I aren't even together and he's freaking out…_

_I don't even know what's going on between us…_

_This week…_

" – she'll ruin everything I've done for you Xiao! Everything! The whole pyramid of our dreams will collapse!"

Plunk. Plunk. Syaoran noticed he had been writing harder and harder.

" – all because of some silly little girl who came along and _decided _that – "

Plunk. _Plunk. _

"Honestly! What about Erika?"

"_What about Erika?_" Syaoran growled, bolting so suddenly from his seat that Hiroki jumped in the air, "You just won't shut up will you?"

Hiroki frantically followed a fuming Syaoran towards the door. The amber-eyed man pulled a coat off the hanger and flung it across his shoulders, "I'm going out."

"Xiao…Xiao…you don't understand, I have to manage these things, its my job to know what you're doing and how you're doing it."

Syaoran pulled open the door, Hiroki caught his sleeve.

"What's going on Xiao Lang, where are you going?"

"You don't manage my personal life Hiroki, that was part of the deal," Syaoran glared, "And just for your curious little brain, I'm going to see Sakura."

"Oh no. Oh no. no. no." Hiroki was shaking his head so fast it was just a blur of colors, "I forbid you to see that girl, last week's little _sleepover _was bad enough, I'm not letting it get _any _worse, you're going to stay here like a good singer for our next show which starts in an hour, or else I'll – "

The door missed Hiroki's nose by a hair.

"XIAO!"

* * *

Syaoran…Syaoran Li… 

_I'll figure it out._

_I'll figure you out one of these days…_

"Saaakura!"

_why you won't smile for me anymore…_

"Saakura-chan!"

_you're always so sad…_

"SAKURA!"

"Huh? What?" Sakura slipped out of her daydream to find out that she had soaked her apron with the hose, "Oh! I just washed it this morning!"

"Never mind that!" Chiharu squealed, "You have a visitor!"

"A visitor? Who is it?"

"Do I even need to tell you?" Chiharu practically shoved a protesting wet Sakura out the door.

"_Sy – Syaoran!_" She gasped, "I didn't know – that – "

"Are you busy?" The boy interrupted. He stepped neatly out of his car and towards the greenhouse. Sakura nervously took a step back.

"What?"

"Are you busy?" He repeated as he continued towards the steps.

"I – "

"She'll ask Eriol." Chiharu finished for her and hurried back inside.

Sakura smiled sheepishly, "Right…Eriol…"

As quickly as Chiharu had disappeared, Eriol reappeared at the door. He took one look at the man approaching and his face fell.

"You must be – "

"Hiirigizawa Eriol." He finished, they shook hands, "I believe we've met before."

"Have we?" Syaoran said firmly. Although on the inside he wondered if Eriol knew it had been him on the phone.

"Yes during your interview? If I remember, it was held at my nursery."

Syaoran grimaced, "Right, I remember."

He had a feeling this man was mocking him. And he didn't like that look on his face.

Eriol suddenly lifted his lips in to a grin, "I'm sorry but Sakura's a bit busy right now."

"_What?_" Chiharu interrupted, "but we get the evening – "

"to do an extra special delivery." Eriol finished.

"You – do…" Syaoran said.

"Yes – we do."

"No we – "

"Its okay Chiharu." Sakura cut in and walked down the steps towards the two men, when she neared Syaoran she gave him a polite bow, "Sorry Syaoran…maybe some other time…"

Syaoran watched her avoid his eyes. Did she…not want to see him? Was she not happy that he came by?

Did he make a mistake thinking that she still liked him? After all he had done? All that trouble? Was Hiroki…right?

Syaoran backed away, hands in his pockets, "I understand…I'll…see you later…"

"Have a nice day." Eriol said, his face fixed in to a very ironic smile.

Sakura gave him a small smile. She wasn't sure why she had just denied a day out with Syaoran. She wasn't sure at all.

She watched in an unsettling dismay as Syaoran closed the door of his car. The engine seemed louder than usual. And the simple act of backing out made her want to turn away. Why did she say no?

After the Benz had disappeared, Chiharu found her voice and stomped down the stairs like a fire breathing dragon, "We have the evening off, _don't we_? We're not _really _doing an extra special delivery are we?" With every word a finger sunk deeper in to Eriol's chest.

"Of course not." Eriol answered simply, his smile had already slipped from his face. He pushed Chiharu's finger away and started towards the greenhouse.

Sakura lingered in her spot.

Why did she say no? 

"Oh good." Chiharu answered happily, then she suddenly scrunched up her nose, "Wait…waaait! Then why did you lie to him? You said we had an extra delivery!"

"It was for Sakura's own good…I don't trust him, you shouldn't either." Eriol's voice and Chiharu's loud protests continued till they were out of earshot.

Sakura hadn't moved.

Syaoran… 

She gripped her wet apron with tight fingers.

You idiot…you should've stayed and argued with me… 

_You always win…_

_

* * *

_

"What's wrong with him…I blame everything on that stupid girl…everything…our whole career! My wonderful future! That…that…Kinomasaki…Kino…pah." Hiroki shoved his hands through the air as if pushing the name away in disgust.

He had been pacing around the room for quite some time now.

He hoped if he paced long enough he'd pace enough common sense in to Xiao Lang's little brain and make him finally realize how absolutely pointless his intentions were and that _he, Hiroki, _was right all along.

"I bet they're somewhere being all cutsie and romantic, I bet there are a hundred reporters at the scene already, I bet our whole foundation will come _crumbling _down tomorrow morning! Xiao Lang – you…"

_Ring ring. _

Hiroki practically yanked the phone off its chord, "Hello? Xiao Lang's manager speaking."

"Hi this is Deryi, concerning our appointment this afternoon, our producer is wondering if we have rescheduled since…its been over an hour – "

"Yes, _yes, _we have rescheduled – please make it this evening at seven – I'll be _sure _to have our Xiao Lang ready to go by then. Okay? Okay. Bye bye." Hiroki hung up and collapsed on to the leather sofa.

"That's the second call this afternoon! The second big opportunity I had to push back because of that boy's silly personal life!" Hiroki wiped imaginary sweat from his brow, "I can't take this pressure anymore…what does that boy expect me to do? Cover for him?"

"I can't do that – that wasn't part of the deal either! That's right! I'll tell him that as soon as he gets back! I'll tell him – if he doesn't shape up I'll quit my – _wait. _What am I saying? He's the only _reason _I have a job, I won't be able to find another street living talent like that. What am I – "

_Ring ring. _

Hiroki ripped the phone from its receiver and shouted "I said we've pushed it back till seven!"

"Hello? Hello…Hiroki?"

"Eh? Whose this?"

"Um…its Erika."

Hiroki jumped out of his seat, "Ohh! Erika dear! How have you been? I've been trying to reach you, I didn't know you had moved or else I would've gotten to you sooner."

"The house is pretty empty without Xiao – so I decided a smaller apartment would do."

"That's absolutely a marvelous idea! And that's what I like about you, because you're always ahead of the game, ahead of the market. You're talented, a beautiful girl, perfect for our Xiao Lang, a growing musician." Hiroki mused happily as he pranced about the room like a little kid before Christmas.

"Enough about that – I have some news for you."

Hiroki grinned from ear to ear. _Finally, good news. _"News?"

"Yes, please tell Xiao I miss him too much and that I'm moving to Japan."

* * *

The dark-haired boy watched the evening sky between the glasses of the greenhouse. All the girls had left hours ago since they had the evening off. He was all by himself, left in front of a monitor to do things that was pointless to life.

Eriol sat deeply in to his seat and sighed. Why was he feeling guilty? He did the right thing.

The past week had gone by in such a long dragging blur. _I seem to be looking at the same things everyday…_

Computer…files…receipts…cashier…bento…

"Bento?" Eriol stared at the box on his table. _Wait, this isn't mine._

Reaching a long hand out of his usual casual stature, Eriol pulled the little green box towards him.

_Eriol _was messily scribbled on one side.

"Hm…" He flipped the lid, the rice was still hot. Maybe he was dreaming.

He picked up the chopsticks as if in a trance and snapped them apart. It smelled really good, just the right reminder to alert his gut the hunger he had suppressed all evening. And on top of that it smelled like flowers. Whoever delivered them must've been a girl.

Eriol shrugged and started eating. No questions asked.

_Must be my food guilt…_

_

* * *

_

"Let me do them Sakura."

"No…I can do them,"

"Don't argue with me – go to your room and sleep."

"I already took a nap in the evening Touya!"

"I'm worried about your health! If it were up to me I would have you quit your job."

"No!" Sakura protested, horrified.

Touya pulled the dish away from Sakura's smaller weaker grip and shoved them under the cold running water, "Which is why it is not up to me, but however when you're under this roof, you'll listen to what I say, and I'm telling you to go to bed."

"I'm not even tired!"

"Don't shout! Catch your breath!" Touya hollered.

Sakura glared at him but didn't say another word. With every louder vocal, her lungs had started to ache once more and it usually led to another outbreak and Sakura didn't want to prove Touya's theory that she needed rest.

The tall man sighed impatiently and whipped out another dish, scrubbing it furiously between soapy bars, "Fine, I won't force you to sleep, but at least let me do the dishes." He said firmly when he noticed Sakura was eyeing the heap of plates on the side.

She looked at him once more before turning towards the living room.

"At least rest!" Touya called through the kitchen door but Sakura ignored him.

I'm in a prison… 

_I can't leave because I might get sick._

_And I have to stay inside like a sick person. _

She gazed at the door. I just need something…a reason besides the nursery to step outside.

_Riing. Riing. _

Sakura's green eyes widened, surprised, _Cell phone!_

After weeks of carrying Eriol's gift around, she still wasn't used to the fact that she had one. Scrambling upstairs she managed to turn it on just past its third ring.

"Hello?" She answered breathlessly.

"Hello, Sakura?"

_Voice. His voice. _"Syaoran, what…do you need something?"

"Can we talk?" His deep voice resonated through her body. _Yes. Yes of course. _

But her lips didn't seem to want to move.

"Can we talk…please?"

"Yes"

_Yes._

So...you don't have an extra delievery tonight?"

Sakura shook her head then realized Syaoran couldn't see it, "I'm sorry - Eriol...made a little mistake."

"Oh...alright."

"What...do you want to talk about?"

"Can we talk…in person?"

Sakura's eyes flew to the clock. _Seven. Oh no Touya. _

_No…stop. Stop._

_Think for once. What do you want? _

_You don't live in a prison. You can step out the door. _

"Yes. Yes we can."

"Meet me Downtown, at the intersection of Miro Park."

"Okay…I'll see you there."

_Click. _

_I'll see you there, Syaoran._

_

* * *

_

"Xiao! Guess what? I have wonderful news!" Hiroki shouted cheerfully when Syaoran opened the door. The boy stuffed his phone in his pockets before entering.

All Hiroki got was an annoyed look, "Why are you still here?"

Hiroki decided to ignore that comment and followed the boy across the room. Syaoran went straight to his closet to drop of his coat, it was warm outside. He didn't need it downtown.

"Erika is – "

"Not now Hiroki – " Syaoran whirled around and entered his bathroom, slammed the door in Hiroki's face for the second time and turned on the sink.

Hiroki knocked on the door impatiently, "I'm sure you'll understand if I tell you! Erika is going – "

"I don't want to hear about Erika right now!" Syaoran's muffled voice sounded through the wooden door.

After a moment of irritating silence, Syaoran opened the door, brushed past Hiroki and headed towards the front once more.

"Where are you going?" Hiroki gritted, "Where do you think you're going, _again_? _I already _rescheduled your entire day to accommodate your _date _with your girlfriend – so I expect better behavior out of you!"

"Out – I'm going out. And since when did I have a girlfriend?"

"Well Erika is – "

"No, no. Stop. No Erika, not now." Syaoran said impatiently, putting up a finger to emphasize the point. _I need to clear my mind of all thoughts. I just need one night. One night to figure Sakura out. What are her intentions, everything. _

"Its seven! You have an interview with – "

"Reschedule it."

"I already did that! You can't do this to me Xiao Lang!"

"Sorry Hiroki, I'll talk to you tomorrow morning." Syaoran slammed the door, the third time.

Hiroki was lost of words.

He didn't just apologize…again…did he?

* * *

"You're not going out are you?" Touya barked from the kitchen, his hands filled with dishes.

"It'll only be for a little while!"

"Its seven at night! The streets are the most dangerous at _seven at night_!" Touya responded urgently.

"Touya! You said that about eight, nine, and _ten _at night okay? I'm going out! I'll come back!"

"Don't shout! Catch your breath!"

"Bye Touya, Love you!"

"Sakura!" His voice was cut off by the unmistakable sound of a closing door, "_damn._"

_Since when did she say Love you anyways_

_

* * *

. _

Eriol rubbed the sides of his head. It felt heavier every minute he spent in this greenhouse. What was he doing spending his life here? He couldn't accomplish anything living here.

"Now Xiao Lang, there's a life, being a star, must be wonderful." Eriol muttered.

The young manager had turned off all the lights except the one on top his desk. The darkness felt calm and still. Nothing compared to how he felt inside. Crazy hurricane. That's a better one.

Was that a noise? 

No…just imagining things Eriol…you're tired…lacking sleep…insomnia…that's it.

_No, that was something. _

Eriol lifted his eyes sharply. _I knew I should've listened to Tomoyo and installed burglar alarms…just never knew somebody would rob this place. _

"Hellooo…anyone there?" Eriol called sleepily. Oh sure, if there really was a burglar, he'd be _really _intimidated.

"Oops, sorry, hi…am I disturbing any work?"

_speaking of which._

"Tomoyo?" Eriol said incredulously, "What are you doing here? Its seven? Didn't you leave…three hours ago?"

The girl emerged in to the small desk light and Eriol watched rather confused as she folded her hands in front of her and sighed, "I got…locked out of my house…and…my cousin's in…Europe doing a fashion exhibit…I really…"

She looked down embarrassed, "Sorry, I was just being stupid, I thought since the greenhouse would be open…I could…sorry…never mind…it was a stupid idea." She suddenly turned around to leave.

"So you got locked out of your house and you wanted to sleep in the greenhouse?"

"It was stupid idea, I know." Tomoyo said, "Sorry for bothering – "

"No one says you can't stay."

Tomoyo froze in her spot, lingering between the light and the darkening sky. She slowly turned around.

Eriol was slightly taken aback at how wide her eyes were.

"You mean…I won't be a bother –"

"Does it look like I'm doing anything?"

"Um…no…not really…"

"Then alright," Eriol said, somewhat more cheerful than normal, "Have a seat."

Tomoyo walked towards the desk and helped herself to one of the lounging chairs that lay around. She was smiling now, "You're not such a grouch at night, you must be nocturnal."

"The night calms me."

"mm…"

"Did you walk here?"

"Um…yes."

"Isn't Chiharu on the way here?"

Tomoyo thought for a while. _That's right…_

"I don't know, but this place," She said, smiling warmly, "feels more like home to me."

Eriol felt his chest tighten. Did he _ever _know how that felt.

"Then your welcome to make yourself at home."

* * *

_Was this such a good idea. _

Syaoran walked down the street, hands in his pockets. He avoided all looks thrown in his direction, all frenzy cameras that chanced to spot him.

He had one purpose, he wanted to know

_What is between Sakura and me._

_What is there?_

She's taken me on this crazy ride, where will it end, and should I even come along when I was the one who began it all with a lavender vial.

It was in his pocket, he was rolling it between his fingers as he walked. It seemed much smaller now. It used to fit snug in his palm.

Sakura sighed deeply in to the cool night air. The weather forecast had predicted a warm night, but the forecast was never usually right so she had brought a sweater just in case.

She loved the night. It let her breathe. It let her think.

The rain was even better.

It helped her cry whenever she couldn't.

Sakura was feeling elated, light on her toes. She did a couple odd steps on to curb, inside she knew Touya would scream his head off if he saw her near the street but she didn't care. She was going to see Syaoran. After one week…and he still wants to see me.

Maybe…maybe

Maybe _yes. _

But what if.

Her steps dropped slightly, _what if…he's come to tell me…_

_No…_

Is this such a good idea…Sakura? Are you being a fool, did you waste your whole life waiting for a man that never existed?

Just what if.

Yes.

No.

Someone screamed in the distance erasing all previous thoughts on Sakura's mind. Several loud sounds ricocheted off the buildings and Sakura witnessed the crowd rushing towards the scene. There was a horrible screech, a dull thud.

Car crash.

What happened?

Syaoran had heard the scream. Had heard the screech. Had noticed that everyone was rushing in one particular direction. It was just at the intersection of the park he was headed.

An accident? 

But his mind was still dizzily drifting over certain questions than any car crash.

He wasn't interested.

"What happened, what happened?" Some enthusiastic man cried.

"A huge truck hit this girl, they already called the ambulance but they're not sure if she can make it. It was pretty ugly!"

_Huh. Careless people_.

"I heard she was pretty young, wasn't watching where she was going, light hair."

"That's sad…I hope she'll pull through."

Two women conversed at the side of the crowd that Syaoran was approaching.

His heart suddenly raced.

_Young girl…light hair…_

Syaoran's steps quickened, his eyes quickly danced towards the center of the crowd. His heart was beating, faster, faster. The world was spinning.

_Sakura. _He breathed, _what if it was Sakura. _

_It can't. It can't be her. _

"Sakura!" He shouted. Half the crowd turned to look at him, he pushed through them all, his hands had gone numb, "Sakura! Sakura!" He was like a crazy man. Had he ever lost control in public, he didn't remember.

"Sakura!" He gasped, once he reached the center. He saw light brown hair, pink sweatshirt. Ambulance, they were already sliding her in to the car. The ground tumbled and swirled at his feet. His whole entire mind froze, his chest was hurting.

No.

_No, its not right. Its not Sakura. _

"Sakura…"

"Inoue! Inoue! Is she going to be alright? Is she okay?" A woman suddenly broke the crowds as crazy as Syaoran had, raced to the ambulance and pulled at the emergency medic's hand, "Is she alright? Inoue!"

"She'll be fine, are you her – "

"Mother! Mother! I'm her mother! Please! Please save her!"

"We'll do our best – if you'll let us – "

Syaoran's mind stopped registrating the words coming out of the man's mouth.

The only words repeating in his head was

Sakura's okay, Sakura's safe.

_She's okay. _

She's okay.

Syaoran suddenly felt very light. And then he saw her. Her with bright green eyes and he captured them.

"Sakura." He mouthed, a certain funny feeling started pushing at his chest.

They met each other half way. Syaoran's heart had never rushed so fast.

He stared at her, he stared at her beautiful eyes.

If he were to ever lose her.

_Was that how he would feel?_

_That horrible feeling just now…_

_Never…_

_He was never going to let that happen  
_

"Are you okay? You're slightly pale – wha – "

He embraced her so quickly she didn't even get a chance to breathe. Sakura was frozen in place, his chest was pressed against hers and she inhaled his warm scent.

_She closed her eyes. _It can't be dream.

"Sakura, you've answered all my questions." His voice breathed against her neck. It was deep and resounded throughout her entire body.

Sakura kept her eyes closed and relaxed her tense body as they remained together under the night sky. Two lavenders.

"You're my inspiration."

* * *

And now I interrupt that romantic lovely scene with  
**An important note from the AUTHOR**  
Please read if you were one of those readers who were wondering 'why the hell' was I so late at updating _anything._  
Well I'm here with the answers.

First things first. Last month, my best friend whom I've known for thirteen years passed away in her sleep. I spent the entire month helping her parents plan the funeral and memorial services. For any of you who have lost someone close to you before…you might understand the emotional crisis you go through. So for a while, even after, I lost a taste in writing, drawing, and anything I usually love. Which explains the unusual large gap between these two chapters. I apologize, really. I have never given up on a story, and I never will. I'm sorry for the long wait. I hope you understand and forgive me. I hope this never happens again, because I hope I'll never ever lose another close friend.

Thank you for you wonderful and beautiful patience.

With love,  
Zenhir.


	8. Define Life for Me

Zenhir: no excuses, all I have to say is sorry. its a short chapter that gets to the point. But I'm happy to tell readers that I am back in the game and I have the entire story planned out now. so that means No more waiting. Yay!

**Lavender**  
Chapter Eight  
_Define Life for Me_

Sakura's eyes bulged at the glittering heart pendant that was being teasingly held in front of her face.

"For you," He said and dropped it in to her palms.

"But this…"

"It's real white gold…hey! Don't look at me like that, I saw you staring at it yesterday so…"

"Thank you Syaoran!" She embraces him and he stumbles back a few steps to catch his balance.

Someone cleared their throat loudly besides them. Sakura looked up to find Tomoyo with a watering can and a stern expression.

"Well, if you expect me to cover up your shift Sakura you should at least do this more subtly so as not to awake the sleeping tiger over there…" She shouldered Eriol's direction who was found in the morning asleep at his table with Tomoyo's jacket slung over his shoulders.

Syaoran removes Sakura from his grip and muttered a quiet apology in Tomoyo's direction before turning towards Sakura again, "Well, shall we go?"

She accepts his arm and gives Tomoyo a bright smile before they left the stairs of Tomoeda nursery on their first long awaited day out together.

Tomoyo folds her arms across her chest and smiles too, "Teenagers." She shakes her head as if she was a mother watching her daughter walk out of the house on her first date with the boy she loved.

* * *

Hiroki felt as he was waking up from a nightmare when he saw her walking down the plane. Finally, someone sensible could snap Xiao Lang back to his senses.

"Ah, Erika!" He exclaimed warmly as she glided down the stairs smiling a much practiced smile as cameras flashed, "Shall I take your bags for you?"

"No, I asked for a personal carrier, I didn't hardly expect to carry all these things myself," And as she spoke, two men shuffled over with nearly a truckload of suitcases and variously sized bags. The sight of it caused Hiroki to shiver with happiness.

"So this means you're staying!"

She gives him an angry look, "What do you think I came all this way for! After Xiao Lang deserted me for this ridiculous joke of a tour I thought maybe I could at least keep him company among this…disgusting trash...but anyways, where is Xiao Lang? Is he hiding from me?"

Hiroki felt sweat slide down his forehead, "Well…you see…he had this very important interview…and…"

"He didn't cancel it for me? Ha, I think I need to train him from scratch it seems…well…what are we waiting for? I want to see where we're going to live for the next couple months. I do hope it comes with only one bedroom." And with this the girl smiled mischievously.

* * *

Sakura inhaled the pleasant smell of sea water and touched the pendant on her neck. She felt warm arms wrap around her from behind and she smiles.

"We're lucky there's no one here today," He whispered in her ear.

"No, we're just lucky to be here." She tilts her head up to stare at his eyes. They showed so much love and affection it seemed as if they were kids again. They were simply taking a small detour from home. For a strange moment she imagined themselves in their school uniform, laughing and having fun on a deserted beach.

"It must've been difficult for you."

"Just a little…but now I'm glad I made it." Syaoran sighed and spread himself out on the hot sand, "Plus, it brought me back to you, Sakura. I would've done it all again if it brought me back to you."

Sakura felt her stomach flutter. Everything was turning out the way she had hoped. Perhaps it was slightly late and with many more undesired problems in between, it still turned out like the perfect ending to her story. But there was still one thing that was bothering her.

"Syaoran…don't you think that your – "

A phone rings and Syaoran cursed out loud, "I thought I left it…god…hold on, Sakura, this will only take a minute, yes, Hello?"

Sakura cups her chin in her hand and watches as Syaoran sits upright with his phone pressed to his ear. She had expected something like this to happen. He was a star. Having a second to spare with her in secret was better than anything she could possibly hope for.

"No, no way, I cancelled it, yes…no, fine, Hiroki canceled it, no, _I heard him _say it, could you just – why not? – I did this before why can't I do it a – this is ridiculous – I'm busy right now! – you know what – what? – no – no" There was a long pause. Sakura heard a jabbering high pitched voice rambling in the background. She couldn't make out if it was a girl or perhaps a very excited man. Suddenly Syaoran jumped to his feet, sand scattered the ground and Sakura squealed with surprise. He gave her a quick look of apology before returning to his business on the phone, "Okay, okay – fine! – I'll be right over – right – good bye now and don't bother me again on this number or I'll have it changed, got that? Good." He hung up and stared at his phone.

"Frustrated?" Sakura asked.

"I'm sorry – I just – have to – here, you can come with me, it won't take long." He muttered while raking his fingers through his hair. Before Sakura could answer, he had already taken her hand and was leading her back up the hill.

"How long will this take?"

"Do you need to go?" Syaoran asked as he inserted his keys and started the engine to his car.

"It's just – Touya – he…he's going to be wondering where I am and I don't want to – " Sakura looked away.

"Lie, you don't want to lie to him. It's okay." Syaoran pulled out of the parking space, "I'll drop you home, we can do this some other day."

"But you're so busy and I really don't want to mess up your schedule for me!"

He surprised her when his hand shot out of nowhere and landed on her own. He squeezed her hand gently, "Look, Sakura, it took me twelve years to meet up with you again, I don't care about my goddamn career if it means taking me away from you. I'd quit singing if it meant that, so just, just let me take care of it okay? You should worry about your own health first, have you seen any professional doctors?"

Sakura looked at his profile. It seemed so perfect hearing words like those coming from his mouth. It was as if the old Syaoran she knew had completely returned to her. Xiao Lang never even existed.

"Sakura?"

"Oh! Yes, my brother's a pretty good doctor; he takes care of me for the most part."

He was silent for a moment then let out a satisfied noise, "I trust your brother, and he'll do what's best for you. Now, um, was it right or left?"

"Wait was that – "

"Yes that was Tomoeda Nurser – "

"RIGHT, RIGHT SYAORAN! TURN RIGHT!"

"For the love of god, okay!" He said and Sakura released her grip on his hand. He let it rest there on her lap for a few seconds before shifting its weight back on to the steering wheel. Sakura was missing him already.

* * *

"So this is where my dear Xiao Lang lives, it's not that great, but I can live." Erika threw her purse on the couch and her assistants piled her other belongings on the floor, "Oh Hiroki, will you pick up the tab?"

Hiroki jumped to her aid and pulled out his wallet, pulling out a couple neatly folded bills and paid the men who exited with a flourishing bow.

"Hiroki?" She called.

"Yes Erika?" He answered like a servant to a lady.

"Where is Xiao Lang?" She looked around the room expectantly.

"I may have mentioned it to you but he is at an interview with a very famous…"

"Cancel it! I have to see him!"

"But…but I can't do that!"

"Yes, you can. And Yes, you will!" Erika exclaimed, "Or bring me to him. But its such horrid weather outside, I don't want to get be all gross and sweaty when I see him."

"Yes, of course you don't," Hiroki said, sweat trickling down his brow already, "I'll see what I can do Erika, in the meanwhile…make yourself at home! After all, Syaoran's home is your home."

Erika gave him an impressed smile, "I like that, Hiroki! My home..." She flung herself on to the same leather couch Sakura had laid on just nights before, "Huh, is this cheap leather?"

"Pardon me?" Hiroki asked, already halfway out the door.

"It feels lumpy, I can't have my Xiao Lang sitting on something pitiful like this. Have it removed immediately!"

"Of course, as Erika wishes. I'll be off to the studio now! Ta ta," with a bow almost as graceful as her assistant, Hiroki shut the door to Syaoran's room.

Erika gave a deep depressing sigh once the room was quiet. She decided a tour was in order and got to her feet. She clapped her hands together and hurried over to his table and peered at the contents strewn across it. _Hm…music…what a good boy, he's been working so hard…instant noodles, gross, how fattening…_She flipped through his drawers, not one bit caring about privacy. _Old magazines…so many cassettes…oh what's this? _She lifted up the picture of Syaoran and Sakura in their track uniforms.

"Is that my little Xiao Lang!" She exclaims with excitement, "What's that ugly thing standing next to him, hm, cousin perhaps, he probably forgot to dispose of this, I'll get rid of it for him." She drops it in to the wastebasket and continued to rustle through his things.

"A flower? Since when was Xiao Lang so sensitive. But what a pretty little vial!" She said, the vial of lavender held carelessly between her fingers, "It's so small…its hard to imagine it belongs to Xiao, well I'll just stick it back – oops!"

The vial knocked against the edge of the table as she lost her grip and it fell to the floor, shattering in to a constellation of pieces, "Oh…shit…how clumsy of me."

Then without warning the front door opens and Erika looks up to find Syaoran, staring at her with all the shock in the world written clearly on his face. Erika didn't notice a thing because she threw herself at him and promptly gave him a light kiss on his cheek, "Xiao Lang! Wo hao xiang ne oh!"

"Well I didn't exactly miss you," Syaoran said as he removed the ecstatic girl from himself and that's when he saw the remains of his vial on the floor, "What the hell happened!"

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry Xiao! I'll buy you a new one right away!"

"No! Erika, you've done enough! Just don't get yourself cut, are you bleeding? How can you be so stupid?"

Erika didn't listen to him. All she understood was that her Xiao Lang was mad at her and it was all her fault. She was on her hands and knees, "Tell me where you got this one! I'll find it, promise!"

"Erika…you can't find another one, I'm not mad, just get up."

"Xiao Lang, I'm so sorry…I didn't know what I was doing, I promise you that I'll find one! Just give me a couple of days and I'm sure I'll find one exactly like it!" She was starting for the door.

Syaoran reached out to stop her but she pushed him away with one hand, "Erika! Wait! Just – "

"I'll be back okay, Xiao Lang! I'll replace it, I promise!" And she had disappeared. Syaoran sunk to the floor.

_Crap…what just happened…and what the heck was she doing here?_

_

* * *

_

Sakura knew she was in deep trouble before she even opened the front door. Touya's car had been out front and he was rarely home early. It almost felt as if his wrath was seeping through the walls until she could barely bring up the courage to insert her keys. Then suddenly she was face to face with her brother and she thanked heavens Syaoran's car had already pulled out and left just moments ago because Touya looked furious.

"Get in; you're going to catch a cold."

"But, its almost eighty degrees outside!" Sakura protested.

"I said Get – Inside – Now!" Touya ordered, and Sakura hastily brushed by him, leaving her shoes outside which probably had sand in it. But Touya didn't spare one glance before he slammed the door shut. Sakura jumped.

"Touya! You're scaring me! What's happening?"

"I should be asking you, Sakura!" He shouted, "Don't lie to me now! You're seeing that Li bastard aren't you? Did you learn your lesson or not! Xiao Lang is dangerous! All he's going to do is bring you more trouble! Have you forgotten everything he's done to you?"

Sakura was speechless, "How, how do you know?"

"How do I know?" Touya almost laughed. It was a sarcastic laugh. It was an empty laugh. It was a laugh that scared Sakura, "Look – at – this – will you? It's been all over the papers for well over a week now! Do you even understand how it feels being in my situation right now, Sakura? My baby sister is running around on dates with some celebrity as if she was – she was some common hooker!"

"TOUYA!" Sakura screamed.

"Don't start with me! I had to deal with this crap from even my pateints! You are making it difficult for me, Sakura! This is in no way beneficial for you health! With your health deteriorating from all this outside activities it's no wonder you get sick so easily! You're just making it worse for yourself, Sakura! I told you, you can't see him! And that means YOU can't SEE HIM! Goddamnit, can't believe that son of a bitch actually laid his filthy undeserving hands on you – "

"You will NOT bring Syaoran in this!"

"And why shouldn't I? I have my right to bring in the man whose been playing around with my baby sister! I've been nice so far! I could've beaten his ass up ages ago!"

"Touya! You will not bring him in to this! I don't care if you scream at me, or get mad at me! But you can't bring Syaoran in it! It's not his fault I want to be with him! It's not his fault he wants to be with me!"

Touya was red in the face now and Sakura knew those were exactly the words he was terrified of hearing but she couldn't stand it anymore.

"It's not just about how you deal with Touya! What about me? What about my life? I can't stay under your care forever Touya! I'm twenty now! I'm already old enough to make my own decisions! You can't take care of me forever, Touya! You can't stop me from seeing Syaoran! You can't lock me up!"

Touya slammed the newspaper on the table and grabbed his sister by the shoulders, "You don't understand, Sakura! You need me! With your sickness, you can't survive out there like everyone else! You need special care and attention, does Syaoran understand that? No! He doesn't! He doesn't care crap about that stuff! Why? Because he's a celebrity with his own problems! But I CARE, Sakura! I've been caring since you were born! I take care of you! I make sure you're safe!"

Sakura pushes Touya's hands off violently, "How do you know he doesn't care, huh? He cares a lot about me, Touya! He's always cared for me!"

"You can't trust him!"

"I DO trust him! I'd trust him with my life!"

"If you go with him you won't have a life! He's like death waiting for you! I can't allow this to go on! You have to stop this madness, Sakura! Wake up and come to your senses, you're acting like you're five years old!"

Then Sakura did something shocking. She slapped her brother and the entire house held its breath in resounding silence. Touya stared at her; a finger lay across his cheek. There was a red swell where her palm had landed, "Sakura…"

"Touya, Touya, please…just listen to me." Sakura gasped, choking on her tears. She had never hit her brother. He had never hurt her. But this was something she just had to do. Something she had to say. She took a deep breath. Touya had frozen where he was, his breathing deep, but he was listening. He was waiting, but there was such a fear in his eyes that Sakura felt as if she was tearing him apart because he knew. He knew clear as day what she was about to say.

"Touya…" She breathed, "…I might be dying…"


End file.
